It’s October. That also means that it is Domestic Violence Awareness month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “nearly 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner during their lifetime”. It is important to highlight the resources available to students in our community. While the former counseling services on campus are not currently being funded, the college has arranged for a life coach position, a victim services coordinator and a victim mental health therapist. Some of these positions are grant funded.
The life coach position offers short-term personal and crisis counseling, health and wellness advising, academic advising and student support. The position also provides resources and makes referrals to community partners.
The victim services coordinator, Veronica Joyce, is a former UCC student who also works with Battered Persons Advocacy. Funded through a grant, her position works in combination with the BPA, offering information about services such as housing options, case management, court advocacy, peer support, professional training, crisis intervention and safe emergency shelter. Joyce has joined campus in ESB 13.
Joyce was briefly located in the LaVerne Murphy Student Center before her move to ESB 13. She felt that her time in the Student Center helped educate as well as bring attention to how many people can be affected. “I talked with a 19-year-old girl who just walked up and asked ‘Why should I care.’ I talked to her for 45 minutes,” Joyce said.
Joyce also offers help with services that are less for crisis and more for healing such as a “Healing Art” workshop. These workshops are meant to help with the process of healing whether it is trauma, grief or something different entirely. While some people would think that this would not be for them and that they are not artistic, Joyce only has one piece of wisdom to offer; she used to think herself uncreative but, as Joyce put it, “I’m not creative; I’m not creative — then I discovered I was creative in other ways.”
More information about these workshops, as well as sign-ups, is available with Joyce in ESB 13.
Student Center Display, Resiliency Room
The glass case in the LaVerne Murphy Student Center is filled with domestic violence awareness material and facts. With a lot of purple and imagery of people who’ve been abused, it certainly catches the eye. The case demonstrates that this issue needs attention.
Another resource on campus is the Resiliency Room (ESB8). This room is open to all students who just need a place to get away and relax. It offers chairs, couches, quiet and a free book lending library. It is available during the day Monday through Friday.
Victim Services Coordinator Hours, Contact Info.
Joyce can be reached in her office Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Wednesday 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or by phone at 541-673-7867
The local BPA phone is 541-957-0288
The 24-hour BPA crisis line is 800-464-6543