Alexandria Galtney
Staff Writer
Every relationship has it problems but some relationships may be hazardous to your mental and physical well-being. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), domestic violence affects 43 percent of women who attend college.
Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse.
Domestic violence is a crime that not only impacts women. Men can be victims of violence at the hands of women. Violence also occurs between individuals of the same gender.
If you or someone you love is a victim of domestic violence, there is help for you. At Jackson State University, students have several avenues to seek assistance.
“Students can report to the Department of Public Safety. This can be done if they are fearful or are looking to pursue charges on an individual. Students can report to Title IX. The Interpersonal Violence Prevention Office is for education and resource sharing. Title IX also helps students with accommodations in the event they are victims/complainants of dating/domestic violence,” said Keisha Varnell, Title IX/Interpersonal Violence Prevention specialist. “Lastly, any Administrator, staff, faculty or authority the student feels comfortable reporting to is also an option.”
According to the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence (MCADV), 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been a victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner. Around 48 percent of both men and women have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner and an estimated 36.2 million women have been slapped, pushed or shoved by an intimate partner at some point in their life.
Seventy-five percent of intimate partner violence victims between the ages of 18 and 49 reported multiple abuse incidents by the same perpetrator and eighty-one percent of intimate partner victims report significant long-term impacts of abuse including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms and physical injuries.
“We believe there has been an increase in domestic violence reporting in recent years. This is actually a good thing because this tells us two things: the act of domestic violence is not necessarily increasing but the trust in the reporting process has increased. This means the outreach is working, the message is being heard and students are receptive and trust the University’s process,” said Varnell.
The Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence (MCADV) sites these early warning signs that you may be with someone who is abusive:
Someone who:
• Wants to move too quickly into the relationship.
• Does not honor your boundaries.
• Is excessively jealous and accuses you of having affairs.
• Wants to know where you are all of the time and frequently calls, emails and texts you throughout the day.
• Criticizes you or puts you down; most commonly tells you that you are “crazy,” “stupid” and/or “fat,” or that no one would ever want or love you.
• Says one thing and does another.
• Takes no responsibility for their behavior and blames others. Has a history of battering.
• Blames the entire failure of previous relationships on their partner
• Grew up in an abusive or violent home.
• Insists that you stop spending time with your friends or family.
• Seems “too good to be true.”
• Insists that you stop participating in leisure interests.
• Rages out of control and is impulsive.
MCADV recommends that you pay attention to the “red flags “and trust your instincts. Survivors of domestic violence frequently report that their instincts told them that there was something wrong early on but they disregarded the warning signs and
Remember, if you feel you or someone you know is in immediate danger; call the Office of Public Safety at 601-979-2580. If you want to pursue charges against the offender, Public Safety will help you with this process.
For further assistance with all incidents of interpersonal violence and reporting, the Title IX Office is located on the third floor of Ayer Hall. Even if you choose not to pursue criminal charges, the employees in the Title IX office can help you. Contact the Title IX Office at 601-979-1561.
If you are a current or past victim of domestic violence and need counseling, the Latasha Norman Center has resources and therapists available to help you. The LNC is located on the second floor of the JSU Student Center. Call 601-979-0374 for more information.
