In 2008, 46 lives were lost in domestic violence-related incidents in Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence. To most UW-Madison students these statistics are alarming, but for some they are all too familiar.
October is domestic violence awareness month, and campus organizations such as University Health Services and Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment and the Offices of the Dean of Students have stepped up efforts to educate the student population in hopes of preventing future violence.
According to Carmen Hotvedt, UHS violence prevention specialist, these groups plan to provide peer-led workshops, spread materials about healthy relationships and offer training for first responders.
Hotvedt said college students are particularly vulnerable to experiencing domestic violence, making it even more important to educate students at UW-Madison.
""We know that about 20 percent of high school students are experiencing some form of violence in dating relationships before they come to college, and the age at which women are most vulnerable to dating violence is 16-24,"" she said. ""Clearly, these are crimes that have an impact not only for college-aged students, both men and women, but also for the entire campus.""
Tera Meerkins, chair of PAVE, said if students were more aware of domestic violence issues, it could be something that gets reported more often, thus making it easier to prevent.
""It's not very often reported so many people don't know it exists, and that prevents them from reporting it because they think they're alone,"" she said. ""It's viewed as a private issue.""
She said this privacy trend prevents many victims from seeking resources, essentially perpetuating the cycle.
According to Meerkins, another goal of the activities scheduled this month is to break many of the stereotypes surrounding domestic violence perpetrators and victims.
""Many people believe that it only counts when it's between married couples, but dating violence is the same. It can happen in any relationship, straight or same-sex,"" she said. ""It can involve children, women can be the perpetrators, and men can be the victims.""
Meerkins also said domestic violence is not just physical violence; it can be emotional, financial or verbal.
According to Hotvedt, education efforts on campus to prevent these issues can go a long way toward having a powerful impact in the future since young adults are now becoming more aware of how to navigate the dating world and how to engage in intimate relationships.
""When college students engage in healthy relationships now, I believe that they have the power to reduce those numbers in their communities in the future,"" she said.
Students seeking information on domestic violence, or about this month's activities can visit the UHS Violence Prevention website at uhs.wisc.edu/assault.
