2008 Woodie Awards
Domestic Violence receives spotlight
Ali Tweten
Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Domestic violence claimed the lives of 20 women and 12 children last year in Minnesota.
Minnesotans can learn to prevent violence in their daily lives this month.
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a time to think about ways to decrease violence in words and actions.
"Be aware that we're living in an incredibly violent society. We're inundated with violence from the minute we open our eyes in the morning," said Debra Schroeder, coordinator of community education for Anna Marie's Alliance.
Schroeder said simply realizing there is violence is one step to take in minimizing it.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one of five women and one of 14 men has been physically assaulted by an intimate partner at some time in their lives, and 21 percent of college students report they have experienced dating violence by a current partner. In the same study, 32 percent reported dating violence by a previous partner.
"There is an element in society that perpetuates it. Individuals need to be aware of it and start challenging those day-to-day things that do support it," said Lee LaDue, SCSU coordinator of sexual assault services.
LaDue also said the message of violence is everywhere in culture.
"We need to be challenging our own thoughts and ideas and not teaching our children these traditional gender roles," LaDue said. "Whether you're analyzing our everyday conversation, movies, television. We have to deal with it on a cultural level."
Both women and men can make differences in their lives to reduce violence.
"Men need to understand how culture socializes us and teaches us to act in a certain way," said Mike Hernandez, SCSU's male peer education coordinator. "Just understanding how the media portrays us can help."
Hernandez also said men can talk with their peers about violence and join the male peer education group.
Hernandez said if a man is being abused, it is important to talk with him and make sure he receives help.
If someone is an abuser and it is a continuous problem, it is best to get that person psychological help or contact authorities, Hernandez said.
Confronting violence can be difficult when faced with it in a public place.
Minnesotans can learn to prevent violence in their daily lives this month.
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a time to think about ways to decrease violence in words and actions.
"Be aware that we're living in an incredibly violent society. We're inundated with violence from the minute we open our eyes in the morning," said Debra Schroeder, coordinator of community education for Anna Marie's Alliance.
Schroeder said simply realizing there is violence is one step to take in minimizing it.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one of five women and one of 14 men has been physically assaulted by an intimate partner at some time in their lives, and 21 percent of college students report they have experienced dating violence by a current partner. In the same study, 32 percent reported dating violence by a previous partner.
"There is an element in society that perpetuates it. Individuals need to be aware of it and start challenging those day-to-day things that do support it," said Lee LaDue, SCSU coordinator of sexual assault services.
LaDue also said the message of violence is everywhere in culture.
"We need to be challenging our own thoughts and ideas and not teaching our children these traditional gender roles," LaDue said. "Whether you're analyzing our everyday conversation, movies, television. We have to deal with it on a cultural level."
Both women and men can make differences in their lives to reduce violence.
"Men need to understand how culture socializes us and teaches us to act in a certain way," said Mike Hernandez, SCSU's male peer education coordinator. "Just understanding how the media portrays us can help."
Hernandez also said men can talk with their peers about violence and join the male peer education group.
Hernandez said if a man is being abused, it is important to talk with him and make sure he receives help.
If someone is an abuser and it is a continuous problem, it is best to get that person psychological help or contact authorities, Hernandez said.
Confronting violence can be difficult when faced with it in a public place.