10/11/2022
The campus’ entry lights shine purple as SUNY Cortland highlights National Domestic Violence Month, drawing attention to an issue that claims victims across all age, gender, race, sexuality, religion, education and economic levels. An average of 20 people are physically abused by intimate partners every minute, equating 10 million abuse victims annually.
Throughout October, members of SUNY Cortland’s It’s On Us Action Team will join the student club Students Active for Ending Rape (SAFER) to raise awareness about interpersonal violence and offer resources to individuals seeking support.
The effort includes a variety of campus activities and events:
The It’s On Us Action Team is comprised of students, faculty and staff. Its co-chairs are Deputy Title IX Coordinator Sam Halligan and Prevention Educator Marissa Whitaker.
"Domestic Violence Awareness month has been in existence nationwide for over 30 years, to connect individuals and bring awareness to this issue," Whitaker said. "Through raising awareness, celebrating survivors, and advocating for change, we can honor those who have lost their lives to domestic violence. All people deserve to have healthy relationships without violence. "
The team is collaborating with various offices on campus including Title IX, Residence Life and Housing, University Police Department and Health Promotion. The team also works closely with advocates from the YWCA’s Aids to Victims of Violence program, a community resource available to anyone impacted by domestic violence.
SAFER is a student club whose main mission is to educate and raise awareness about sexual assault, domestic violence, and other forms of assault on campus and in the community.
If you need help or simply want more information, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit its website at www.thehotline.org. The New York state Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline can also be reached in most languages by calling (800) 942-6906, texting (844) 997-2121 or by chat at opdv.ny.gov.
For local resources, there are university Instagram accounts for SAFER at sunycortlandsafer and It’s On Us at sunycortland_itsonus. For additional help, visit www.thehotline.org/get-help/domestic-violence-local-resources.