Event aims to educate about domestic violence
Chatter echoed and filled the Memorial Student Union Building (MSUB) Ballrooms as students walked around and participated in the annual Through Their Steps event at Texas A&M University – Kingsville (TAMUK), which offered an opportunity to experience how someone in an unhealthy relationship can suffer.
“[Through their steps] is an interactive event that uses real stories to let students become aware of some of the challenges that can happen within relationships that might be unhealthy or have violence,” Title IX Coordinator Tasha Clark said. “I think it is a really good, informational event to show some of the roadblocks and hurdles people face which can ultimately keep them in those types of relationships.”
Hosted on Nov. 2, this event was sponsored by the Office of Compliance and The Purple Door. It was open to students, faculty, staff and the community of Kingsville with the purpose of educating them on the importance of seeking help and raising awareness on dating violence.
“It’s always important to have awareness in prevention events because we want to make sure that students can identify unhealthy relationships. We know that it can take them up to seven times once they are trying to leave before it sticks, and it is not because they do not want to leave. It is oftentimes because of power and control dynamics and other limited resources, limited support outside of the relationship that keeps them within unhealthy relationships,” Clark said
Along with Title IX, Pep-Talk was there to provide information on dating violence awareness as well as going over bystander intervention steps.
“Events like these are extremely important. Not only does it give students the knowledge, but it gives them the courage to step up and do something,” Pep-Talk President Esmeralda Gutierrez said. “We are trying to make the campus a safe place for students, and events like these can help them.”
Through Their steps is a walk-through event that allows participants to make decisions based on real-life scenarios involving relationship violence. Upon entering the MSUB ballrooms, students signed up and were given instructions. They were told to choose a card containing specific scenarios. Their job was to read the scenarios and make a choice. There were several tables with cards containing different scenarios, and depending on what choice they made, the card would say to pick another card and make another choice. Students moved across the ballroom until they reached their final scenario.
Once they finished, students went to the last table, spoke with Pep-talk representatives and filled out a survey for a chance to enter a drawing.
“I think [events like these] are important because it happens way more often than people think. A lot of cases do not always get a happy ending where they go to someone,” Junior Brian Briones said. “Sometimes, it is just a very quiet case where nothing happens until the end when people are met with terrible outcomes,”
The Office of Compliance offers resources like complaint processes and interim supportive measures. They can help students change their courses and relocate residence halls or off-campus housing. They can connect students to off-campus resources like The Purple Door and more. For more information contact Tasha Clark at (361) 593-4758 or tasha.clark@tamuk.edu, Title IX at titleix@tamuk.edu, stop by Lewis Hall, Room 130 or the University Police Department at (361) 593-2611.
“You are not alone. You do not have to try to do everything by yourself,” Briones said. “Sometimes, when you reach out, you are able to get the help you need.”