Domestic violence. It's not a term college students think about often, but it is an issue that several organizations feel should be brought to Auburn students' attention this October during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
The Women's Resource Center, Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, the Domestic Violence Intervention Center and Safe Harbor are sponsoring two major events to increase awareness about domestic violence among college students.
In the auditorium at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center Oct. 7 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Auburn students and members of the community are invited to hear Carolyn Cox's story of her survival after 40 years of living as a victim of domestic violence.
Five years ago, Cox, 67, was beaten by her husband and then locked in a carbon monoxide-filled garage. She survived and now travels the country telling her story about living for decades as an abused wife. Cox emphasizes the importance of "breaking the silence."
Also Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. on the lawn in front of Cater Hall, there will be a candlelight vigil honoring victims and those who have lost their lives as a result of domestic violence.
So why should college students be concerned about domestic violence?
According to www.abanet.org/domviol/statistics.html, "approximately 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the United States."
The statistics further show that the vast majority of domestic violence victims are women.
Between 1998 and 2002, "84 percent of spouse abuse victims were females, and 86 percent of victims of dating partner abuse were female."
Amye Still, special projects coordinator for the Women's Resource Center, said that after seeing statistics like these, "we understood that the Women's Resource Center needed to do something to bring awareness to the issue."
Although the statistics show that women are at a higher risk to be victims of domestic violence, Still said the Women's Resource Center also seeks to make men more aware.
"Even though the issue of domestic violence is predominantly a women's issue, men can be just as much a part of the solution as women," Still said.
Julia James, a former Safe Harbor counselor, said domestic violence is definitely an issue with which college students should be concerned.
According to James, domestic violence in a dating relationship often begins with several warning signs or "red flags."
Some of the warning signs include one partner telling the other how to dress, dictating who he or she can spend time with, monopolizing all of his or her time, cyber stalking and intense guilt trips.
James advised anyone who feels threatened by a partner, to try to get out of the relationship. She also encouraged these students to seek counseling.
Safe Harbor provides free counseling services to all Auburn students.
"If you feel like your life is in danger, don't hesitate to call the police," James said. "It can lead to a much more dangerous situation."
Melanie Beasley, outreach supervisor of the Family Sunshine Center in Montgomery, said she wants college students to be able to recognize what a healthy relationship is. She said one of the most important aspects of a healthy relationship is trust.
"A healthy relationship is not about jealousy," Beasley said. "Jealousy doesn't equate to love." She also stressed the importance of equal partnership in a relationship.
As Carolyn Cox emphasized in her story, domestic violence is often a "silent secret."
The organizations sponsoring Domestic Violence Awareness Month seek to end the silence by bringing attention to domestic violence and by providing students with the knowledge they need to keep them safe.
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