Local organizations and Shippensburg University students offered their support to domestic abuse victims in front of Janie Fecker Garden outside Lackhove Hall on Oct.1. 

Arielle Catron, director of the Women’s Center at SU, hosted the event for the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Catron said she has been helping individuals end domestic violence, dating violence and sexual violence for her entire career. 

Before coming to SU, Catron worked in Philadelphia at the Women’s Law Project, an organization that helps victims of domestic violence navigate the legal system in the city. 

SU student Ariana Tomb volunteered to read a poem dedicated to a victim’s abuse in a relationship. 

Representatives from organizations such as Young Women’s Christian Association Carlisle, an organization pushing for elimination of racism and promoting the empowerment of women, spoke about their resources to help others. These include free counseling and medical accommodations to UMPCCarlisle Hospital for anyone who would like a rape kit. 

Corinne Bennett, the direct service supervisor for the Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry Counties, spoke about the organization’s mission to help women who have been victimized by a sexual assault. 

Services include protection from abuse orders and educating victims on court proceedings.

“We also have an emergency 30-day shelter for women and children if they need to flee a domestic violence situation quickly,” Bennett said. 

In the last year, the organization has helped 72 adults and 64 children for more thab 5,000 days combined, provided over 3,000 hours of counseling for victims and answered over 1,500 hotline calls. 

“We also have an emergency 30-day shelter for women and children if they need to flee a domestic violence situation quickly,” Bennett said. 

In the last year, the organization has helped 72 adults and 64 children for over 5,000 days combined, provided over 3,000 hours of counseling for victims and answered over 1,500 hotline calls. 

“The good news is that when women come through our door and they stay in our emergency shelter, almost all of them leave with safe housing options available to them so they do not have to return back to their abusers,” Bennett said. 

By the end of the ceremony, campus minister Rev. Jan Bye encouraged the crowd together to lend a helping hand against the violence. She held a moment of silence to those dealing with domestic abuse.

“If you see something happening, you do something. It doesn’t have to be big,” Bye said. “Someone can intervene somehow so others may not be hurt. Keep your eyes open—keep your heart open.”

Student volunteers gathered in front of the garden with a shovel to plant tulips. Catron said the tulips symbolize the strength and hope for victims and to end the stigma of victim blaming.

Students seeking more information on of victims of domestic violence, relationship violence or need to talk to someone about any of the previously events, SU’s Counseling Center, located in the ground floor of Naugle Hall as part of the Wellness Center, and the Women’s Center, located in the first floor of Horton Hall, can be reached at (717) 477-1481 and (717) 477-1790 respectively.

Share