Lawrence University is recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month throughout October. Director of Equity and Title IX Coordinator Sara Holtzman has helped organize events during this month relating to domestic violence, or DV. According to Holtzman, her role at Lawrence is to oversee processes, education and programming in relation to equity and Title IX. Domestic Violence Awareness Month was officially declared in October of 1989 when Congress passed Public Law 101-112. It has been held annually ever since it was first observed in 1981.
Each year, the “Day of Unity” is celebrated on the first Monday of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. There are many forms of domestic violence, including physical violence, verbal abuse, psychological abuse, sexual violence and financial abuse through a domestic relationship such as an intimate partner, family or even friendships. Through the month of October, Holtzman has organized a series of events that are aimed to support students on campus who have experienced domestic violence and educate students on the signs of abuse in a domestic relationship.
One of the events that was hosted on Thursday, Oct. 5 was Our Stories Are Not Meant for Everyone, a program put on jointly with President Laurie Carter, the Sexual Harassment and Assault Resources and Education (SHARE) committee and the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-Racism, and Support Services (IDEAS) Division, which recognized the importance of survivor rights, privacy and online security.
Holtzman pointed out issues on campus where survivors of domestic violence had their stories shared by those who did not respect their privacy, and said she wanted to create a program that empowered survivors to manage their own experiences and stories. She also recognizes how impactful domestic violence can be on one’s life and that many may not be ready to share their stories, and that it is important to be respectful of a person’s privacy. One student who wishes to remain anonymous, referred to here as Student A, attended this event and found it beneficial for those on campus who have had their narratives passed around without their consent, including themselves.
Violence Awareness Month. Photo by Alana Melvin.
“My story of sexual abuse was passed around campus by a close friend of mine,” Student A stated. “I thought I had confided in someone who would not betray my trust and instead found myself feeling so much shame and guilt. It was the hardest thing I had been through, so this event is important to me. It is important to know that survivors of domestic violence are not just another story. We are human and it is no one’s place to take that away from us.”
The second event of the month was hosted and sponsored by IDEAS on Tuesday, Oct. 10. This event was Lawrence’s take on the Clothesline Project, where students were invited to decorate colored t-shirts to spread awareness about interpersonal violence. The goal surrounding the Clothesline Project was to celebrate strength and resiliency and to break through the silence that surrounds domestic violence. The colors on the shirts represented various forms of domestic violence: white for those who passed away of domestic violence, yellow for survivors of physical assault, red and orange for survivors of sexual violence and blue and green for survivors of incest or childhood sexual abuse.
The last two events for Domestic Violence Awareness Month are the Volleyball Game on Tuesday, Oct. 17, where the players wore shirts honoring the month, and Take Back the Night on Wednesday, Oct. 25. These events are both aimed to spread awareness about Domestic Violence Awareness Month and support students who have survived interpersonal violence or are currently in situations of abuse.