MANSFIELD, Ohio – Students at The Ohio State University – Mansfield (OSU-M) campus came together Thursday to say “No More” to domestic violence and sexual assault during the official kick-off of the branch’s local chapter.
The baby blue “No More” circle symbol was created to bring more awareness to domestic violence and sexual assault, said Amy Bailey, sexual assault project coordinator for The Domestic Violence Shelter (thedvshelter.com).
“The message is of no more relying on stereotypes like, ‘look what she was wearing’ or ‘she asked for it,’” she said.
As students, staff and community members gathered in Founder’s Auditorium, OSU-M “No More” chapter president Ashley Foust expressed the harsh reality that “domestic violence affects all of us in one way or another.”
Three OSU-M students, all donning T-shirt’s with the “No More” symbol surrounded by an outline of the state of Ohio, performed a short skit that included holding signs and saying, “No more it’s none of my business; No more, I’ll say something next time; and No more blaming the victim.”
“Domestic violence and sexual assault are not easy to talk about but they impact thousands of men, women and children every year,” Foust said. “I’d like us all to take a minute and think about a few things: 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experience violence from their partner in their lifetimes; 1 in 5 women are survivors of rape; and 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men have experienced some form of sexual violence in their lives.”
OSU-M freshman Chelsi Knight is a member of the campus chapter and said she feels compassion for those who have suffered from domestic violence, sexual assault and/or bullying.
“I want to be myself. I am a nice, humble person. I care for people and I just want to inspire them,” the 19-year-old said. “I want to let them know that they are not alone and somebody is there to listen to them.”
Knight said the effort to bring more awareness to these sensitive topics is needed on campus and in general.
“Not many people knew about “No More” or even knew that April was sexual assault awareness month,” she said. “Getting people out there and having people aware of it, it gets them to try to help too and to try to stop it.”
OSU-M Dean Stephen Gavazzi told the audience he hoped the kick-off would only be the beginning of an ongoing conversation surrounding domestic violence and sexual assault on the campus.
“I also hope that this will be as broad in scope an effort as we can possibly make it,” he said. “So we understand that all forms of relational abuse have no place on our campus and in our community.”
Kim Williams, a survivor of domestic violence and child abuse, told her horrifying and moving story of suffering abuse as a child from her step-father, who eventually murdered her mother and grandmother.
“I am telling my life story in hopes to bring awareness to domestic violence and child abuse,” she said. “I am a strong believer that no matter what you have gone through in your past, you don’t have to let it run your future.”
Richland county Prosecutor Bambi Couch Page, who has witnessed the first-hand devastating effects of domestic violence on men, women and children through her career in the criminal justice system, talked about the pre-historic origins of violence against women and children.
“The problems with domestic violence and sexual assault have always existed, having a long past but a very short history,” she said. “Women have been battered by their partners in almost every society in the world. Historically, wife or partner abuse was viewed as a normal part of marriage and intimate relationships.”
But, in time, and through continued discussion, Couch Page said there is hope.
“The No More campaign has renewed my optimism as it relates to the hope that one day the issues of domestic violence and sexual assault might be resolved in some way, shape or form,” she said. “This campaign has reignited the fire that became embers over the past few years and it brought with it new interest groups into the discussion, particularly large, male dominated lobbies that influenced the male population and are finally bringing them to the table.”
The OSU-M “No More” Chapter is sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Family Engagement, the College of Social Work Student Association and The Domestic Violence Shelter.
For more information on the No More Chapter at OSU-M contact Foust at foust.91@buckeyemail.osu.edu or call 419-755-4098.
Twitter: @angelnichole222
“Not many people knew about “No More” or even knew that April was sexual assault awareness month,” said Chelsi Knight. “Getting people out there and having people aware of it, it gets them to try to help too and to try to stop it.”
