UW–Madison observes Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October marks national Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the campus is working to provide a host of events to educate UW–Madison students and provide support for victims.

Domestic violence has become an epidemic that affects the entire community, including UW–Madison. On college campuses, one in four college-aged women experience sexual assault during their time on campus, often in the context of a dating relationship, while nearly 50 percent of dating college women report experiencing physical, sexual, verbal or controlling dating behaviors.

“Students often don’t relate to the term ‘domestic violence’ because they think of a couple who is living together or a family with children,” says Shannon Barry, executive director of Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS). “Whether it’s a casual relationship or a long-term one, the warning signs are often the same, such as jealousy, isolating the victims from friends, and name-calling or put-downs. Controlling the person you are seeing still isn’t OK, even when it hasn’t yet escalated into physical or sexual abuse.”

To help to identify the warning signs of dating violence, student organization PAVE is hosting The Yellow Dress program (Oct. 19), a dramatic one-woman play based on the stories of young women who were victims of dating violence. The program includes a performance, postshow discussion and teaching materials.

“Preventing dating and domestic violence also means supporting healthy relationships, no matter if those relationships are between people who are straight or LGBT,” says Jacqueline O’Reilly, media advocate for the student organization PAVE.

To demonstrate to the campus community how significant of a problem dating violence is at UW–Madison, PAVE will construct a Bascom Hill display on Oct. 11 comprised of pledge forms signed by students. In signing the pieces of paper, students are pledging to support victims of violence — not blame them, treat their partners with respect and educate themselves about dating violence.

“Because domestic violence is a community issue, we felt it important to put the responsibility in the hands of the community,” O’Reilly says. “That way, if students ever encounter dating violence, either first-hand or through a friend, they will think back to their pledges and know how to react.”

PAVE (Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment) will hold events throughout October:

— Oct. 5: National Day of Unity and Pledge to End Violence, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Tabling in 333 East Campus Mall

— Oct. 13: Domestic Violence in the Media workshop, 7 p.m., Vilas 4008

— Oct. 19: Keynote speaker event: The Yellow Dress, 7 p.m., Humanities 1121

— Oct. 25: Film screening and discussion: “Waitress,” 7 p.m. Contact PAVE for location.

The EVOC (End Violence on Campus) initiative, a combined effort of more than 30 campus and community organizations, is working to address sexual assault and dating violence at UW–Madison. A series of short videos that highlight services available to victims of these crimes on campus are available at the EVOC YouTube page.

Help is available: DAIS is a community organization that works with UW–Madison to provide advocacy and crisis response to victims of domestic and dating violence. Their 24-hour crisis line is 608-251-4445, and a list of their events for the month can be found on their website.