LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center and several other University of New Mexico organizations encourage students to “stop the silence and end the violence” for Domestic Abuse Awareness Month. One way that was pursued was through hosting Paint the Campus Purple on Oct. 18 on the north side of the SUB.
“We are really just trying to have those conversations with students about why it’s important to talk about it,” said Jenna Hagengruber, the domestic violence and sexual assault awareness coordinator for LoboRECPECT.
LoboRESPECT and the Women’s Resource Center tabled during the event, sharing information about domestic violence and small purple ribbons to spread support for the cause. Large ribbons and sidewalk messages were also spread throughout campus as part of the event.
“We are all banning here together, wearing purple, supporting this movement of trying to stop domestic violence,” Hagengruber said.
Domestic physical abuse by an intimate partner occurs once every 20 minutes in the United States — that’s 10 million people every year, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
“I am a survivor of domestic violence,” said Frankie Flores, a Paint the Campus Purple event participant and LGBTQ Resource Center coordinator. “Any way I can advocate and support is really crucial.”
Several other events are also being held for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, such as The Pack Goes Purple, whcih encourages sports fans to wear purple to the UNM vs. UNLV football game on Nov. 17. Taking Strides to End Domestic Violence walk around Johnson field is also being held on Nov. 18.
Makayla Grijalva is a freelance multimedia reporter at the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @MakaylaEliboria.
