Abby Sanford/The Minaret
Nearly three out of four Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence. The Spring of Tampa Bay, a shelter for abused adults and their children, describe domestic violence as an epidemic, affecting people of all communities. Domestic violence is a common issue, more common than many college students and teenagers are often aware of.
According to The Spring, domestic violence is the willful intimidation, assault, battery, sexual assault or other abusive behaviors, such as verbal and emotional abuse, that occur within a relationship.
Unfortunately, The University of Tampa is no stranger to the problem of domestic violence. In the past decade, UT has lost two students to acts of violence at the hands of people who should have cared for them. In 2000, 19 year-old Cara Beth was stabbed to death by her boyfriend in a car in the Tampa General Hospital parking garage. In 2007, 19 year-old Samantha MacQuilliam was found stabbed to death in the Palm Harbor home she rented with her boyfriend.
Because October is Domestic Violence Awarness Month, a variety of events have already been held on campus. One of the most ambitious of these projects has been the collaboration between the sorority members of Gamma Pi chapter of Alpha Chi Omega, Brock Communications and The Spring who together are raising awareness through the new “Peace It Together” campaign.
Alpha Chi Omega’s philanthropy is domestic violence prevention, and between Oct. 5 and 8 the sorority displayed an informational table in the Vaughn Lobby. Sorority members sold purple ribbons and t-shirts, giving all proceeds to The Spring of Tampa Bay. Also on Oct. 8, Alpha Chi Omega hosted a speaker from The Spring who presented information on domestic and teen dating violence.
Sarah Bernstein, president of Alpha Chi Omega, said the sorority started planning these events over the summer when they were contacted by Brock Communications and asked if they would be willing to do something to spread awareness.
Lisa Brock, CEO of the public relations company Brock Communications, is an adjunct professor at UT and also the vice chairwoman of The Spring’s board of directors. She is also an Alpha Chi Omega alumna.
Each year, Brock’s company adopts a charity representing a non-profit organization for free. For the last three years, Brock Communications has represented The Spring.
In her advertising campaigns class students solve problems for organizations and work with clients before giving final presentations. This semester, Brock’s class has been helping create a campaign for The Spring.
The “Peace It Together” campaign has included raising awareness by handing out information in the form of bright purple, orange and yellow brochures and stickers.
“It’s really hard to get people on campus motivated about service,” said Bernstein. “So having Brock provide us with a colorful campaign has really helped.”
Bernstein said the sorority chapter has been enthusiastic working to inform UT students about domestic violence, especially since every Alpha Chi Omega in the country is also raising awareness this month.
“I’m really excited because I think we do things a lot differently than other organizations on this campus,” she said. “Our philanthropy affects students; other philanthropies might not hit so close to home.”
Bernstein said domestic violence is sometimes an issue people take lightly.
“People don’t realize it occurs in college,” she said. “I don’t think students realize they can get caught up in these relationships when they are so young.”
Brock noticed the sorority’s willfulness to connect with the UT campus.
“They have been unbelievably engaged,” Brock said. “They are a motivated bunch of young women.”
Brock believes another way to reach teenagers and college-age students today is by using social media applications since this is where people of a young age get most of their information.
However, Brock cautions there is a significant downside to social media and that men and women are confused today about what constitutes domestic violence.
“The culture [this generation] has been raised in is violent, blurring boundaries because of social media,” she said.
Today’s norms of what couples believe are acceptable behavior are not what other generations of couples may have believed acceptable.
“If your significant other calls you a ‘bitch,’ you don’t have the same reaction I do,” Brock said, adding that when we relax language, we also relax standards.
“Name-calling strips people of their humanity.”
Brock said she thinks many students today don’t realize how domestic violence begins.
“They don’t understand domestic violence starts with words and disrespect to issues of power and control,” she said, adding that young women often don’t recognize name-calling. She also said some mistake domestic violence for protectiveness, believing that when, for example, a significant other tells a person not to wear something or not to do something, it is to look after them.
Brock said that in the past two years at Gasparilla, she has seen “appalling” behavior. “I’ve seen boyfriends push their girlfriends to the ground and girlfriends allowing that behavior,” she said. “It’s horrifying.”
She also said it is important for students to know that if they feel they are a victim of domestic violence, they do not need to check into a shelter in order to seek help. The Spring has a 24-hour hotline where victims can seek information and plan exit strategies.
“There is definitely, definitely help available,” said Brock.
UT students should also be aware of the help they can find right here on campus.
Designated victim advocates are available through the Victim Advocacy Program 24-hours a day to assist victims of sexual assault, physical assault, domestic violence and students who need assistance coping with issues such as the death of a loved one before seeking assistance from the counseling center.
Sabrina Griffith, assistant director of Residence Life, is one of three victim advocates at UT. She said that there is a rotation between the three and that they are each assigned a week at a time to be accessible by cell phone.
Victim advocates talk to students who feel they have been a victim of violence and help that person advocate for themselves through the university system and through the outside community by letting the student know what services are available to them.
Asked if she has had to respond to many incidents of domestic violence on campus, Griffith said, “I can’t say many, but I can say it happens more than it should.” She said that she has had to talk to students about violent relationships, but that, unfortunately, domestic violence is something that is not often reported, especially by the victim.
“Students know what it [domestic violence] is, but teens and other college students are at a time in their lives when they don’t expect to have to go through this,” she said. “People often don’t realize they are a victim when they are going through it.”
Griffith said she believes students are sometimes surprised to learn males can be victims of domestic violence.
“This isn’t a gender-related issue,” she said.
She also said students need to be aware that domestic violence is not always physical or sexual.
“It can be mental and emotional,” she said. “Any type of abuse can contribute to domestic violence.”
Griffith noted that as a friend, it is important to listen to what another person is saying and to look for symptoms of abuse such as being withdrawn, not going to class, not answering the phone, sensitivity to movement and obvious physical symptoms such as bruises. Friends should also be cautious of significant others who seem controlling.
Griffith believes a good way to raise awareness is to do it through student organizations because they already have their members and their followers to listen. In the past, Griffith has spoken to groups about domestic violence and helped give presentations. On Wednesday, Oct. 7, she helped present with Delta Sigma Theta and Phi Beta Sigma in a discussion about domestic violence.
Other events that took place last week on campus included “Chalk the Walk,” sponsored by the PEACE Volunteer Center. Facts about domestic violence were displayed all throughout campus in colored chalk.
Bernstein said it was important for students to know how many people domestic violence can affect.
“It’s a very dirty little mess,” said Brock. “A very dirty subject. Domestic violence crosses all socioeconomic statures. It’s not a neat package.”
To find out what to do if you think you are a victim of domestic violence or to find events on campus sponsoring Domestic Violence Awareness Month, look to the boxes on this page.
16 warning signs of an abusive relationship (source: The Spring of Tampa Bay)
- Pushes for a quick relationship
- Jealous and possessive, constantly calls you by phone
- Tries to control your life
- Unrealistic expectations
- Isolates you from friends and family
- Blames others for his/her problems, feelings and mistakes
- Checks your phone for text messages and call history. May track you with GPS
- Says his/her feelings are easily hurt
- Cruel toward animals or children
- “Playful” use of force during sex
- Yells and calls you names
- Rigid sex roles
- Sudden mood swings
- History of battering
- Threatens violence
- Threatens to reveal personal or damaging information about you or your family, friends or employer
