UNC Charlotte raises awareness on intimate partner violence
October 2017University community offers activities and resources during October's Domestic Violence Awareness Month
KIM LEASTON | OCTOBER 17, 2017
UNC Charlotte's main entrance glows purple for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Photo courtesy of Inside UNC Charlotte.UNC Charlotte's "It's Time to Say eNOugh" social media campaign launched in 2017 with a grant funded by the Jamie Kimble Foundation for Courage which aims to spread awareness about the continuing issue of intimate partner violence. In 2012, 31-year-old Jamie Kimble was the victim of a murder suicide, at the hands of her ex-boyfriend. According to the foundation's website, her parents, Ron and Jan Kimble began the foundation, "to support organizations and programs that create a future free of intimate partner violence."
The campaign features content created by Capital Broadcasting Company and the N.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Their messages will be posted on YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat and WRAL.com and will include information for the UNC Charlotte eNOugh NC website. Valuable phone numbers and links can be found on this site, whether you are a victim of domestic violence, know someone that is or would just like to learn more.
On Oct. 5, campus events kicked off with the Paint Your Pinkies Purple event outside of the Prospector Building. The event, hosted by the Title IX office, helped students, faculty and staff take part in vowing to stand against domestic violence by painting their pinkies purple and creating their own messages against domestic violence for social media. This event was also the first opportunity in October to use the hashtag #thurple (think purple) to promote wearing purple on Thursdays in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
According to Loveisrespect.org, a project created by the National Domestic Violence Hotline, one in six college women has experienced sexual abuse in a relationship. Along with that, 43 percent of female college students reported having experienced violent and abusive behavior while dating. Their studies also showed that as college students, 57 percent say it is difficult to identify domestic violence and 58 percent say they don't know how to help a victim.
The UNC Charlotte campus has been touched by the impact of domestic violence in our community recently with the murder of Professor Jeannine Skinner by her boyfriend just over a month ago, as well as the rape and assault charges against former Charlotte 49ers starting quaterback Kevin Olsen this past February.
This year's remaining events include:
- Escalation Workshop presented by Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. in Cone University Center Room 113
- Be an Active Bystander on Oct. 19 outside of the Prospector Building
- Shine the Light on Domestic Violence 2017 on Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. outside of the Prospector Building