Sorority Alpha Chi Omega is working to raise more awareness on campus about domestic violence during October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month through a number of on-campus events.
The group is hoping to bring more students’ attention to the 10 million women and men that fall victim to domestic violence each year, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV). This statistic equates to 20 people per minute.
According to the NCADV, one in three women and one in four men will experience some form of violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime. One in five women and one in seven men have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Alpha Chi Omega partnered with Peer Educators for the Elimination of Relationship and Sexual Violence (PEERS) on Oct. 6 and Oct. 7 to help raise awareness on campus about domestic violence, by having different organizations create t-shirts reminding everyone that walked by that love shouldn’t hurt.
Alpha Chi Omega will observe Purple Thursday on Oct. 23 and is encouraging the rest of AU’s community to observe Purple Thursday, junior and chapter president Joelle Appenrodt said. This day is dedicated to raising awareness for domestic violence and supporting survivors by wearing the color purple.
The sorority will also co-host a screening “Private Violence,” a new documentary following two women who are victims of domestic violence on Oct. 23 with Women’s Initiative. After the screening, there will be a panel discussion with domestic violence experts from the D.C. community. All members of the AU community are invited to the film screening and panel discussion, according to Appenrodt.
In addition to these events, each member of Alpha Chi Omega will give out three “pass-it-along” cards with information and resources to “pass along” to other members of the AU community.
Since Alpha Chi Omega is a female organization, it focuses on empowering female survivors of domestic violence, Appenrodt said.
“As members of Alpha Chi Omega, we are committed to helping all men and women understand that love shouldn’t hurt,” Appenrodt said. “We do recognize, however, and discuss that domestic violence does not discriminate, including on the basis of gender.”
