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.
SAVE holds a variety of annual events to bring awareness to domestic and sexual violence. Courtesy of @utulsa_save on Instagram.
Last year, SAVE held an event called Take Back the Night: an annual candlelit march around campus and “Survivor Speak Out.” They have also hosted informative presentations, like “Violence Against People of Color: Microaggressions,” and open mic sessions to raise money for Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS). If you would like to participate or learn more about SAVE’s impact, you can visit the SAVE Instagram profile @utulsa_save. Harris said that the organization opened her eyes to “how something [she’s] experiencing … somebody else could also be going through.” Harris emphasized the importance of getting people the help they need. For example, Hannah Darnell, University of Tulsa student advocate, is available at (918) 631-3502, or at tuadvocate@utulsa.edu, or in the Holmes Student Center Room 2080). According to Harris, SAVE is a way to “honor victims and survivors, and let them know that there’s a community here to support them, whether that be on campus [or] outside of campus. There are resources out there.”
