Domestic violence needs to be addressed on college campuses. Approximately, 1 in 5 college students has been abused by a domestic partner (Associates, 2024). For a campus the size of University of Wisconsin- Whitewater that means almost 2,000 students have been abused by a domestic partner at some point during their education. This alarming statistic highlights the need for resources to combat domestic violence in higher education spaces.

When students enter college they are on their own for the first time in their lives. This newfound sense of freedom can lead students to be more susceptible to unhealthy relationships. The stress of academics along with new social pressures can exacerbate these unhealthy relationships.

Domestic violence can lead to depression, anxiety, change in physical health, insomnia, and negative change in appetite (Huecker, 2023). More times than not these side effects do not end when the unhealthy relationship does. This is why it is important for college campuses to be proactive when it comes to domestic violence.

In order for college campuses to effectively take action in cases of domestic violence, intervention and prevention programs must be sturdy. The Campus Sexual Assault Study by the Department of Justice highlights that educational institutions that engage in proactive measures—such as awareness campaigns and bystander intervention training—can significantly reduce incidents of domestic violence (Department of Justice, 2014). In the case that domestic violence does occur, support programs like counseling and reporting services have to be readily available and easy to access.

Fostering a culture that is against domestic violence and clearly shows support for victims, is crucial to the fight against domestic violence. Recognizing domestic violence and not being a bystander when someone you know is in a dangerous situation is a collective responsibility that everyone on college campuses needs to bear.

In order to help those affected by domestic violence and to fight against it we all need to do our part to make campus safer and to stop the vicious cycle of violence. 

Domestic Abuse Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org/

References:

Associates, C. R. U. & (2024, March 14). Domestic violence on college campuses: Get support in Raleigh. Domestic Violence on College Campuses | Get Support in Raleigh. https://www.charlesullman.com/nc-family-law-resources/resources-for-domestic-violence-for-students/domestic-violence-colleges-universities 

Huecker, M. R. (2023, April 9). Domestic violence. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499891/ 

U.S. Department of Justice. (2014). Campus sexual assault: A national sample of university students. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/22732.pdf