Domestic Violence Awareness

According to the Domestic Violence Resource Center one in four women has experienced domestic violence in their lifetime. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence explains that, "domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior perpetrated by an intimate partner against another."

TAMIUs Daily Crime Log 2010 lists only two assaults, both of which occurred at the University Village grounds. Although the type of assaults, the victim nor the perpetrator is known, it is important to know that assault happens, and it can happen here.

Domestic violence does not discriminate against age, race, religion, culture, community, education, or socioeconomic status. It is important to highlight this issue among the TAMIU student population since females between the ages of 20-24 are at the greatest risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence (NCADV). This does not mean that if you do not fall into this age range you are exempt, you are not.

Domestic violence varies, it can fall into the following eight categories: Coercion and threats, intimidation, emotional abuse, isolation; minimizing, denying and blaming; using children, economic abuse, and male privilege.

Since domestic violence varies from physical to emotional abuse, women can be unaware in denial of it. In fact, domestic violence is one of the most underreported crimes. However, no matter in which category a women stands, there is always a way out.

Women in our community, who are living a traumatic relationship, can seek help with the police, S.C.A.N., and/or hotlines.

S.C.A.N. or Serving Children and Adolescents in Need, is a non-profit organization that engages in the well-being of the community. It provides the community, women well, with a database of prevention, intervention, and treatment services from certified staff.

Also, young females can prevent the physical assault by taking the 12 hour R.A.D. class. R.A.D. or Rape Aggression Defense System is offered free at TAMIU by police officer Romy Garza. Officer Garza explains that in R.A.D. females can, "Learn the basic self-defense against an aggressor to protect from assault, rape or crime."

If you need help, call:

The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233

http://www.dvrc-or.org/domestic/violence/contact

SCAN at 1800-355-7226

http://www.scan-inc.org/scan_contact.htm.

For R.A.D. class information contact Police Officer Romy Garza at 956-326-2100.