More than 60 people braved the rain on Wednesday, Oct. 28, to march on the Queens College Quad against domestic violence, marking Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Donning QC ponchos and carrying umbrellas and signs, the group marched three times around the eastern half of the quad. Students and faculty were represented among the marchers, as well as a number of people in the Women and Work Program, a job and life-skills training program for victims of domestic abuse hosted at QC.
The silent march against domestic violence is a part of the larger Domestic Violence Awareness Month in New York State, declared as October by Governor David Paterson.
One day is chosen for the march and all colleges and universities in New York are asked to participate, according to Dr. Ruth Frisz, associate professor of student personnel and coordinator of the peer counseling program.
“It’s a way of providing the community with information about domestic violence and how it affects them as students,” Frisz said.
Carmella Marrone, the executive director of the Women and Work Program, said that domestic violence is on the rise. Each day, 600 instances of domestic violence are reported in New York City.
Marrone said domestic violence is hard to track because it’s become a “private matter” and is the most underreported crime, with only about 25 percent of cases being reported. Between 2007 and 2009, there has been at least a 42 percent increase in known cases of domestic violence.
“We are, as a society, really behind the mark,” Marrone said.
Some of the marchers’ signs highlighted the fact that 3.3 to 10 million children witness domestic violence. Marrone said these children are the highest risk group to look at violence as an acceptable course of action.
“The health and wellness of our society is disintegrating before our eyes because we either don’t know, are too afraid, or just don’t care,” Marrone said. “We’re saying to people, if you stand silent, you consent. Silence is consent.”
Despite the rain, Frisz said the turnout at the fourth annual march at QC, was satisfactory.
“Without the rain we usually have more, but I was spirited and people come out and they care,” Frisz said. “I think it went well despite the inclement weather.”
No comments:
Post a Comment