Students at Adelphi University Observe Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic violence is an epidemic. Three women are killed everyday in this country. One in four women will be beaten or abused by someone in her lifetime.

This past October, Adelphi University clubs and organizations on the Garden City campus held educational events to increase awareness of domestic violence, help victims that are in violent relationships, and emphasize the importance of respect and healthy relationships.

The Social Work Action Gateway (SWAG) held a two-part event at Adelphi. The first part included guest speaker Jean Keogh-Domingo from The Safe Center of LI, a nonprofit based in Bethpage that assist in saving and changing the lives of the victims of domestic or dating abuse, child abuse, and rape and sexual assault. She spoke on the cycle of abuse in domestic violence and how to help someone else or yourself in an abusive relationship. Her presentation was followed by a self-defense workshop by Blake Boerchel from Predator Fighting Method. Students learned how to defend themselves from common attacks in the event of a domestic dispute. SWAG president Sara Bonné, a senior social work major, added at the end of the event, “It’s everyone’s job to be aware of domestic violence. The more you know the more you can help.”

Females of Culture United for Success (FOCUS) also integrated domestic violence awareness into their programming for the month. Commenting on her club’s initiative, senior history major Patrice Kerlegrand said, “As the President of FOCUS, domestic violence is very important to our organization because it does affect women on a daily basis. The goal of FOCUS is to bring awareness to this issue and to work towards ending it.”

Recognizing and speaking out against intimate partner violence, gender injustice and all forms of abuse, has been also vigorously pursued by Adelphi faculty to curb violence and meet challenges facing shelters and other domestic violence services. To learn more, visit http://derner.adelphi.edu/newsevent/domestic-violence-meet-the-experts/.

About Adelphi University: Adelphi is a world class, modern university with excellent and highly relevant programs where students prepare for lives of active citizenship and professional careers. Through its schools and programs—The College of Arts and Sciences, Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Honors College, Ruth S. Ammon School of Education, University College, Robert B. Willumstad School of Business, Schools of Nursing and Social Work—the co-educational university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as professional and educational programs for adults. Adelphi University currently enrolls nearly 8,000 students from 41 states and 60 foreign countries. With its main campus in Garden City and centers in Manhattan, Hauppauge, and Poughkeepsie, the University, chartered in 1896, maintains a commitment to liberal studies in tandem with rigorous professional preparation and active citizenship.

1 South Avenue, Garden City NY 11530
Kali Chan, director of media relations, (516) 877-4040, chan@adelphi.edu

This release was published on openPR.