The Women's Resource Center and Health Resources kicked off Domestic Violence Awareness Month with a teleconference yesterday, which featured information about new domestic violence legislation and the resources available to victims of domestic violence.
The teleconference featured a panel of six women, including administrators, educators and victims of abuse.
The panelists stressed there needs to be community-wide zero tolerance for violence and commented on the lack of resources for women who have been victims of domestic violence. They also suggested ways in which communities can help to prevent violence, such as by supporting local shelters.
After viewing the teleconference, Pauline Christo '99 said the teleconference "will make me more willing to support shelters and less likely to ignore situations if I see" domestic violence.
This year the Women's Resource Center plans to raise awareness at the College by giving workshops about domestic violence to the friends of victims.
"If we can't necessarily reach people who are being abused our goal is to reach the people who are supporting them," explained Susan Marine, coordinator of the Sexual Abuse Awareness Program.
As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Marine said the College has planned a program of "passive awareness," which will involve placing posters about domestic violence around campus.
Marine said the Women's Resource Center also plans to provide information about which legislators are combating domestic violence. She said the center plans to emphasize that "they're a lot of good legislators, both republican and democrat, who are doing progressive things."
Many of the new programs are motivated by statistics being released next month that reveal that relationship violence at Dartmouth is on the rise, Marine said.
"Because there are students here experiencing violence we feel it's important to address it," Marine said.
