A SAAVI insight into domestic violence

Education about domestic violence was the main topic of the Abuse Prevention Day discussion between students and SAAVI volunteers that took place in the Taggart Student Center Sunburst Lounge, Wednesday. 

The best way to prevent abuse is to educate people,” said Stephanie Bagnell an adviser at the Center for Women and Gender.

The discussion was facilitated by questions posed to the students by Bagnell and Bret Nielsen as they encouraged those attending to think about the components of abusive relationships so that they could learn to recognize the signs for themselves.

“We want to empower survivors and victims to use their own self determination to get out of abusive situations and we want to educate everyone else to avoid abusive relationships in the first place,” said Nielsen a SAAVI intern. 

SAAVI, CAPSA and the Center for Women and Gender work to educate Cache Valley residents and USU students about abuse and ways to prevent it and the Abuse Prevention Day event was intended to reach people who were not already searching for help. 

“Women often come into SAAVI to get educated about abuse and then realize that they are already in an abusive relationship,” said Jenny Erazo the SAAVI program coordinator.

To attract attendees into the Sunburst Lounge, the event organizers broadcast a repetitive gong sound from loudspeakers every 12 seconds to symbolically represent the nationwide frequency of attacks against women. 

“That eerie sound really caught my attention. I had to stop by to see what it was all about,” said freshman Lauren Walker.

Also inside the lounge was a display by the Clothesline Project and numerous sponsor booths dispensing domestic violence information and pamphlets. The Clothesline Project is a national movement that gives voice to those affected by domestic abuse by allowing them to write anonymous experiences on shirts that are then hung on clotheslines. USU’s Clothesline Project is in its 25th year and its display featured shirts made by Cache Valley residents who had experienced first or secondhand domestic abuse. 

“We are really glad that Bret and Stephanie opened up the conversation about domestic abuse, because it’s extremely important,” Erazo said. “Having the conversation here in front of the Clothesline Project display and our sponsor’s booths helps us spread awareness of the variety of resources available at USU for victims and survivors of domestic violence.”