Shining the Light on Domestic Violence
During the week of October 16-22, Buffalo State is bathing its prominent Rockwell Hall clock tower in purple light to draw attention to domestic violence, which affects some four million women every year.
The college is joining other institutions and businesses throughout the state participating in the “Shine the Light on Domestic Violence” campaign for October, spearheaded by the New York Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence. Other locations that have been illuminated with violet-hued lights include Niagara Falls, the Empire State Building, the Electric Tower in Buffalo, and the Peace Bridge. In 2010, more than 270 businesses, non-profits, and individuals representing 52 counties participated in the campaign.
Katey Joyce, director and vice president of Child and Family Services at Haven House, came up with the idea in 2006 as part of the Domestic Violence Awareness Month. She asked the administrators at Niagara Falls if they would change the lighting to purple to spread awareness on an international level, and they did.
“Previously, Haven House had an international peace walk with domestic violence programs in Canada across the Peace Bridge, and this brainstorm was an extension of that,” said Laura Grube, coordinator of the Counseling and Advocacy Program for Haven House. “Now, it’s taken off across the country.”
Wednesday, October 19, is “Go Violet Day, and New Yorkers, including Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff, are encouraged to wear purple to raise domestic violence awareness.
“I think domestic violence is a problem on our campus just like any other, just like in the community,” said Liz McGough, project coordinator and case manager for the Violence and Intervention and Victim Advocacy at Buffalo State. “It’s one of those things that are so underreported. I see how it manifests itself, affecting students academically and socially on campus.”
McGough started in her current position two years ago as part of a U.S. Department of Justice $300,000 grant meant to raise awareness, increase reporting, and decrease incidents of sexual assault, rape, intimate partner violence, and stalking on campus and in the community.
McGough connects students with services to help them, which includes community agencies or the university police. Students are protected against sexual assault, just as they are from sexual discrimination, under the educational amendment Title IX, and a student can file a grievance in addition to reporting the incident to police.