October is the month of more than just Halloween and everything pumpkin flavored. It is also the month to raise awareness on a very important issue – domestic violence. We tend to think it will never happen to us or to someone we know, right? According to domesticviolence.org, 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence at some point in their life. It’s important to realize that domestic violence can come in many forms and it can happen to anyone. According to the United States Department of Justice, domestic violence is classified as, “a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.” Domestic violence can range in its forms. There is physical abuse, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, economic abuse and psychological abuse. Many different actions can fall under these categories. Abuse can be more than just physically hitting a partner; there are many other signs of abuse.
Even celebrities we idolize have faced this difficult issue. According to Refinery 29, last month Sarah Hyland and actor/boyfriend Matt Prokop were in an abusive relationship – Hyland had been the victim of verbal and physical abuse for four years. She broke up with Prokop and has filed a temporary restraining order.
Awareness of domestic violence has been increasing but there is always more to learn and more that needs to be done to help the victims. Again in September, professional football player Ray Rice was suspended from the NFL when a video was leaked of him punching his fiancé. The NFL looked the other way on this case and claims that they did not know about the video before it was released by TMZ. Although the NFL suspended Rice, there has been outrage from the public regarding the way the NFL dealt with this act of domestic violence. This month you can see support for student victims by walking passed the seal. Each year Miami’s Women’s Center hangs shirts on campus, created by female survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, which are used to raise awareness. Miami University is also requiring all freshmen to complete the online course, called Haven, to educate those new to campus on sexual assault.
Though learning what exactly entails domestic violence is important, Miami’s newest initiative to combat domestic violence is called “Its On Us,” which will help students realize that sexual assault and violence is a crime against society, not just one person. It’s our job to help prevent the problem not only from happening to us, but also from happening to anyone.
Domestic violence is an issue that we all need to be informed about. We need to learn the warning signs of domestic violence for ourselves, as well as for those around us. And there are plenty of ways for us, as students, to get involved on campus to help fight against it. This October let’s become better informed on the issue of domestic violence and help to raise awareness.
Domestic Violence Hotline: 1−800−799−7233