Nov. 17, 2015

With the launching of UW-Whitewater’s “It’s On Us” campaign and the investigation into the university’s compliance with Title IX, an important discussion about sexual assault began on campus.

This discussion, while tremendously important, has for the most part failed to include much mention of domestic violence. Title IX not only protects survivors of sexual assault, but also domestic violence, stalking and harassment. Any discussion surrounding violence against women on college campuses would be remiss to not include the topic of domestic violence in equal importance to sexual assault.

Domestic violence is extremely prevalent on college campuses. Of dating college women, 43 percent have reported experiencing abusive behaviors from their partner, and about 1 in 3 have said they have been in an abusive relationship. Additionally, over half of college women report knowing a friend who has experienced violent or abusive dating behaviors.

However, the existence of domestic violence on college campuses is not the only issue. 58 percent of college students say they don’t know what to do to help someone who is or has experience domestic violence, and 38 percent say they wouldn’t know how to get help for themselves if they were a victim.

College students also face a variety of added obstacles to gaining access to services that could help them leave an abusive relationship. For most students, college is their first time living away from home, and they may be isolated from their usual support systems.

This isolating college campus environment also makes it easier for an abuser to stalk and control their victim. Furthermore, students might not seek out support services for fear that they cannot afford them. Lastly, students many not even define their experience as abuse due to a lack of available education about what constitutes healthy and unhealthy behaviors in a relationship.

Domestic violence should no longer be taking a second place to sexual assault when it comes to discussions of interventions against violence on college campuses. Both are equally prevalent and have a large impact on students. I would like to see just as much light being shed on the issue of domestic violence on this college campus as has been shed on sexual assault.

Nicole Wysocki

Social Work BS