The Student Alliance for Violence Education aims to support and educate at TU amid concerning Oklahoman domestic violence percentages.
TULSA—For October’s domestic violence awareness month, the student organization SAVE (Student Alliance for Violence Education) hosted a candlelight vigil honoring victims and survivors of domestic abuse. The event featured rows of lit candles and purple tables highlighting helpful resources and educational material, snacks, fidget toys, hand sanitizer and more. Purple is the nationally recognized color of domestic violence, symbolizing courage, honor, survival, and dedication.
SAVE President Issy Harris said the vigil was an opportunity to “raise awareness of the prominence of domestic violence here in Tulsa … and the state of Oklahoma.” Oklahoma has the highest percentage of both men and women that experience domestic abuse, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV). 49.1% of women and 40.7% of men will experience domestic violence in Oklahoma. For victims, the impacts can be extensive and long-term. Stress, isolation, depression, and even PTSD are common symptoms reported by survivors, so education on this subject is part of a broader campaign to prevent violence and to recognize it when it occurs. Additionally, the NCADV states that financial costs (ex: medical costs and loss of productivity) are a significant hidden consequence of this trauma. It is estimated, for example, that victims in the United States lose about 8 million days of work each year…