(Photo Credit: Theta Phi Alpha)
Fariha Ahsan
Staff Writer
Benedictine University was swimming in shades of purple to show support for domestic violence victims and survivors in lieu of Domestic Violence Awareness Month last Thursday.
“Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) was launched nationwide in October 1987 as a way to connect and unite individuals and organizations working on domestic violence issues while raising awareness for those issues,” said on National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website.
Benedictine’s PEACE Team hosted a small event to show support for survivors. The event included fun social activities for attendees. Table signs reading “EMPOWER NOT ABUSE” were decorated, among other signs reading similar supportive messages.
“Empower means helping people find their voice and get access to resources to be able to own their own story,” said Bernadette Ramsden, Violence Against Women Act Grant Coordinator.
“Empower means to encourage others to be more confident and to speak up for others when it’s harder to do so,” said Nathan Klimisch, a junior at Benedictine University.
Ramsden and Klimisch both had similar views in regard to what they hoped would come out of the event.
“We hope it will raise awareness in our community and about what healthy and unhealthy relationships are; how people can get involved in prevention and support survivors,” said Ramsden.
“Being a peer educator and being a male, I think it’s important for people that identify as men/males, to speak up and encourage each other, and support each other, especially when it becomes increasingly difficult in situations such as domestic violence,” said Klimisch.
Benedictine will host a number of events to continue to raise awareness and support domestic violence victims through the end of the month.
The Candor 