KS: Student Groups Raise Domestic Violence Awareness

Note: Cross posted from [wp angelfury] A Human Rights Issue-Custodial Justice.

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http://www.kansan.com/news/2009/nov/04/student-groups-raise-awareness/?news

“Thank you” we need all the help we can get!

Way to Go KS Students for –being the change- breaking the silence!

Photo by Andrew Hoxey

Eve Kemple, prosecute with the district attorney's office, spoke in a panel as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Week. The panel brought forth issues relevant to victims of domestic violence.

By Jesse Rangel

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

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When Thomas Medved walked by students passing out information in front of Stauffer-Flint Hall yesterday, he didn’t expect there to be a voice advocating awareness for domestic violence — a problem that affected some of his friends.

“It’s important to spread the word about domestic violence, which is actually a huge problem,” Medved, Overland Park senior, said. “It’s awesome that we have a visible stance on campus against it.”

Domestic Violence Awareness Week upcoming events

— Speech and question and answer session with Christie Brungardt, the mother of late Women’s Rights activist Jana Mackey. 8 p.m. Wednesday in Big 12 Room, Kansas Union.

—Presentation on depictions of domestic violence in popular culture, by Domestic Violence Awareness Week coordinator and “Mainlining Popular Culture” author Tanner Willbanks. 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Alderson Auditorium, Kansas Union.

And there are 10 campus groups who want to keep domestic violence awareness going. The groups, which include Delta Force, GaDuGi Safe Center and the Emily Taylor Women’s Resource Center, are coming together this week to continue to work toward a goal state officials made in October: to raise awareness about domestic violence and how to do something about it.

Along with the tables in front of Stauffer-Flint, the groups will sponsor three evening talks and presentations on domestic violence.

Tanner Willbanks, Lawrence senior and coordinator for Domestic Violence Awareness Week with Delta Force, said the groups wanted to hold the event in the first week of November, directly following Kansas’ domestic violence awareness month in October. Willbanks said they wanted to show that domestic violence affects people 365 days a year, not just in October.

He said one in four women would be exposed to domestic violence at some point in their lives. But he also said men, children and even roommates could become victims.

“The rate of domestic violence among people is astonishing,” Willbanks said.

Elise Higgins, Topeka senior and president of the University’s Commission on the Status of Women, said the groups wanted to let students who are experiencing domestic violence know that they are not alone. She said the table in front of Stauffer-Flint would feature a pledge students could sign that says they would not commit, condone or stay silent about domestic violence.

“It’s very important that people experiencing domestic violence know that they have allies,” Higgins said. “They have allies and resources both at KU and in the Lawrence community.”

Willbanks said he wanted students to realize that this issue faces them, not people in some far-off region.

“I think everyone would agree that one in four women is a problem,” Willbanks said. “Until we acknowledge how big of a problem it is, we can’t fix the problem.”

Aly Van Dyke contributed to the reporting of this story

— Edited by Tim Burgess

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