This article contains the following trigger warnings: domestic violence, nightmares, sexual assault, PTSD, and stalking. Statement of intent: To educate the community on resources on statistics and resources regarding domestic violence.
PTSD: A Scenario
You awake to the white noise of a small black fan. Chilled to the bone by your own frigid sweat you turn and look around, disoriented.
Taking in your surroundings, you notice that they are vastly different from the ones you just emerged from. Where are the garbage bags full of your only possessions, lined up neatly, packed to the brim?
Abruptly sitting up, it strikes you. You need to flee. It isn’t safe here. Except…
Something chirps at your feet, a shocking jolt back to reality from the nightmarish land from whence you came. It’s your cat, Uri.
She nuzzles your leg, desperate for affection. You reach down to pet her, surveying the room.
The twinkling fairy lights hanging above you serve as a bold reminder- you are in your apartment. Home. Safe.
A Look at the Statistics
According to the 2010 summary report of the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, “[a]n average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States — more than 12 million women and men over the course of a single year”.
To put this into perspective, community college classes are typically capped at around 24 students. That’s 1 college class per minute of individuals experiencing domestic violence.
College classes typically last 50 minutes, so that’s 1200 students per class hour experiencing abuse. If you think you don’t know anyone who has experienced domestic violence, or love someone who has experienced abuse, think again.
38% of college students say they don’t know how to get help for themselves if they experience dating abuse as a victim (Love is Respect).
Photo by: Kassidy Scott
How Parkland Helps
Posters in restrooms on the Parkland campus display a hypothetical situation where an individual struggles to, but eventually reaches out for help. There are small cards at the bottom with the 24/7 Courage Connection hotline phone number that students can take with them.
Courage Connection supports victims of domestic violence through education, housing services, the 24/7 hotline, legal advocacy, therapy services, immigration support, community resources, and overall stabilization.
Every program provided by the organization is offered free of charge and is completely confidential (Courage Connection).
Students can learn more about Courage Connection either from the banners and posters on campus, the Counseling center in U238, or at https://courageconnection.org
This story is ongoing.
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