October 20, 2021
Dear Pitzer Community,
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. Domestic violence, also known as Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), is a serious public health issue that affects those who are directly harmed and the community as a whole.
In the US, one in three young people will experience some form of dating abuse—whether physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal—with a dating partner. Although there has been substantial progress in reducing domestic violence, an average of 20 people are physically abused by intimate partners every minute. These behaviors happen across all gender identities and sexual orientations, although women and racial/ethnic and sexual minoritized groups are disproportionately affected.
Despite its prevalence, IPV is preventable. I encourage each of you to commit to doing at least one thing that will help end intimate partner violence. Effective prevention strategies include:
- learning safe and healthy relationship skills
- engaging in bystander intervention education and empowerment
- creating protective environments where IPV is not tolerated
- supporting survivors to increase their safety and lessen harms
There will be numerous programs over the next few weeks that focus on IPV prevention at Pitzer and across the 5Cs, including workshops on healthy relationships; Teal Dot training for students, staff, and faculty; and practices to promote healing and nonviolence, such as biweekly Restorative Yoga through the EmPOWER Center and Qi Gong led by Pitzer Professor Kathy Yep. Look for upcoming announcements about days and times for these events.
I hope you will join me in committing to do at least one thing to prevent IPV, and I invite you to wear purple on Thursday, October 21, to raise awareness and support survivors of this too-often invisible form of harm. If you’re on social media, you can post your IPV-prevention action with the hashtag: #1Thing.
Anyone impacted by IPV is encouraged to seek support and consider reporting the act of violence. Please see the list below of Pitzer and 7C resources.
As our 7C Teal Dot Bystander Intervention program reminds us about social change: “No one has to do everything, but everyone has to do something.”
Sincerely,
Corinne M. Vorenkamp
Title IX Coordinator
[email protected]
909-607-2958
Pitzer College resources include:
- The Title IX Coordinator ([email protected], 909-607-2958). The Title IX Coordinator can offer support measures and resources, provide information about reporting options, and receive complaints for students, staff, and faculty.
- The Dean of Faculty/VPAA (Allen Omoto), the AVP of Human Resources and Payroll Services (Deanna Caballero), and the Office of Student Affairs can also help connect you to the appropriate support or take a report.
- Reports, including anonymous reports, also can be made online here.
Confidential resources at the 5Cs include:
Support also is available 24/7 at loveisrespect.org (866-331-9474) or www.thehotline.org (800- 799-7233; TTY 800-782-3224); for local support in Spanish, English, or American Sign, call 626-793-3385 or visit www.peaceoverviolence.org/hotlines.
If you’re worried about a friend’s or your own unhealthy or abusive behaviors, help and information is also available: www.thehotline.org/support-others/help-for-abusive-behaviors/
