The Survivor Advocacy Services is hosting a number of events open to students and faculty throughout October for National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
The 2019 annual security report released the crime statistics listings from 2016 to 2018. Since 2016, there have been six reported cases of domestic violence on campus along with 15 reported cases of dating violence and 30 reported cases of stalking, all on campus. Since 2016, there have also been four reported cases of dating violence and six reported cases of stalking, all on campus residential property.
According to the SAS website, “Survivor Advocacy Services’ (SAS) mission is to provide confidential support, prevention education and promote advocacy for individuals impacted by sexual violence, dating/domestic abuse and stalking in the Cal Poly Pomona community.”
Domestic violence is an important topic that all students should be aware of.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s website, “Domestic violence is a serious violent crime that includes both physical and emotional abuse. It is frequently hidden from public view. Many victims suffer in silence, afraid to seek help or not knowing where to turn.”
SAS has partnered with the House of Ruth, a nonprofit organization that provides domestic violence services free of charge and does not discriminate on any basis, to deal with issues of domestic violence and intimate partner violence.
“One in four women and one in seven men will experience some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime,” according to the House of Ruth’s website.
(Zuvanny Macias | The Poly Post)
House of Ruth also provides community services which include a 24-hour emergency hotline, housing assistance, career counseling, CalWorks case management, legal advocacy, temporary restraining order assistance, on-site childcare and much more.
The following events will be held on campus for Domestic Violence Awareness Month:
Oct. 5: On Saturday, the first domestic violence awareness event of the month was hosted. This event, Paint the CPP Letters (pictured on page two), consisted of students hiking up to the CPP letters to paint them purple, which is the designated color for domestic violence awareness.
Oct. 9: Toxic: An Unhealthy Relationships Workshop will be held in the Orion Suite in the Bronco Student Center Building (35) from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. There will be clips played at the event from “American Horror Story” to jump start conversation about unhealthy relationships.
Oct. 15: SAS will host the These Hands Don’t Hurt event behind The Den from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. This is an event where people paint their hands and place them on a white banner to pledge not to hurt anyone with their hands.
Oct. 21: This Monday will be the last event for the month and will be held at the Innovation Brew Works patio from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The event, “Color of Us: Paint Night,” is the only event that will also be a fundraiser. All of the proceeds from the night will be going to the SAS. Participants will receive instructions on how to paint their own art piece. There will also be raffles with prizes available.
SAS on campus is located in the Bronco Bookstore building, Building 66, room 117 and is open Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If help is needed, contact survivoradvocy@cpp.edu or call (909) 869-2196.
