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A newsletter for the students, faculty and staff of the Collin College. Published monthly. For information or submissions, call 972.599.3142. Cougar News welcomes student and faculty submissions. Next deadline: May 10 All submissions are due by 5 p.m. on the due date. Photos cannot be returned. Text should be emailed to mrobinson@ccccd.edu or sent on disk. Please submit copy that is proofed, edited and saved in Word format. Cougar News staff: Lisa Vasquez, director; Mark Robinson, editor; Marcy Cadena-Smith, contributor; Dana Schmitz, contributor; Sydney Portilla-Diggs, campus correspondent; Stephanie Hall, student correspondent; Heather Darrow, special contributor; Sandy Suvannachakkham, special contributor; Kathryn Martin, special contributor; Nick Young, photographer and layout.
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What is dating violence?
By Sandy Suvannachakkham
Special Contributor
Dating violence, defined as controlling, abusive and aggressive behavior in a romantic relationship, is a prevailing problem among young men and women. It occurs in both heterosexual and homosexual relationships and can include verbal, emotional, physical and sexual abuse, or a combination of these (ncvc.org, 2007).
A recent college campus survey reported by the National Center for Victims of Crime (2007) indicates that 32 percent of students report dating violence by a previous partner. The influence of alcohol and drugs in dating violence is alarming. The National Center for Victims of Crime reports that 75 percent of men and 55 percent of women involved in acquaintance rape (a form of dating violence) had been drinking or taking drugs prior to the incident.
Unfortunately, only a small amount of survivors report incidents to law enforcement. Some reasons for not reporting the violence are:
• Shame
• Guilt
• Fear of retaliation
• Confusion about what happened
• Cultural taboos
• Not knowing how to report the violence
• Not knowing to whom to report the violence
Dating violence is never the victim’s fault. It is important to know that dating violence is against the law. In fact, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have laws against dating violence behavior such as sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking. In some of these states, victims of dating violence can apply for protective orders against the perpetrator. If you or a friend has been or is a victim of dating violence, please seek help. It is your right, and resources are available. Fortunately, there are warning signs for dating violence.
Here are some examples of questions to ask yourself or a friend:
1. Does the individual have unexplained bruises, scratches, or injuries?
2. Do you see signs that the individual is afraid of his/her boyfriend or girlfriend? For a complete list of dating violence warning sign questions, click here.
If you’d like to learn more about campus safety precautions; such as, escort services to the parking lot, especially for students taking night classes, contact Collin College Police Department at 972.578.5555.
For more information about dating violence or resources available, call Collin Counseling Services at 972.881.5126 or visit National Center for Victims of Crime, SafeYouth, WomensLaw or Texas Advocacy Project.
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Questions to ask regarding dating violence warning signs from SafeYouth.org:
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Does the individual have unexplained bruises, scratches or injuries?
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Do you see signs that the individual is afraid of his/her boyfriend or girlfriend?
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Does the boyfriend or girlfriend seem to try to control the individual’s behavior, making all of the decisions, checking up on his/her behavior, demanding to know who the individual has been with, and acting jealous and possessive?
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Does the boyfriend or girlfriend lash out, criticize or insult the individual?
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Does the individual apologize for the boyfriend or girlfriend’s behavior to you and others? Has the individual casually mentioned the boyfriend or girlfriend’s temper or violent behavior, but then laughed it off as a joke?
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Have you seen the boyfriend or girlfriend be abusive towards other people or things?
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Does the individual seem to have lost interest or to be giving up things that were once important? Has he/she lost interest in school or other activities?
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Has the individual's appearance or behavior suddenly changed?
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Has the individual stopped spending time with friends and family?
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Have you seen sudden changes in the individual’s mood or personality? Is the individual becoming anxious or depressed, acting out, or being secretive? Is the individual avoiding eye contact, having "crying jags" or getting "hysterical?"
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Has the individual recently started using alcohol or drugs?
[PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION]
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