Niagara University Community Brings Awareness To Domestic Abuse
A domestic violence awareness event bearing the banner, “Surviving…Thriving: A Journey of Healing Through Art,” was held in the Castellani Art Museum on the Niagara University campus on Thursday, Oct. 27.
The event, which was held in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, was also tied to the Red Flag Campaign, a national public awareness initiative designed to encourage college students to intervene when they see a warning sign (“red flag”) of partner violence.
The gallery was a powerful reminder that domestic abuse is still a very prevalent occurrence. Each year, 1,200-1,600 domestic incident reports are filed with the Niagara Falls Police.
“It’s especially important for universities because the highest risk is between ages 18 to 24 for females,” said Dr. Dana Radatz, an assistant professor in the criminology and criminal justice department who was one of the main organizers of the event.
Several community organizations collaborated to host the event, including Niagara University, the Levesque Institute, Castellani Art Museum, Child Advocacy Center of Niagara, Family & Children’s Service of Niagara, Niagara County Sheriff’s Office Victim Assistance and Domestic Violence Unit, Niagara Falls Police Department’s DV Unit, and the YWCA of the Niagara Frontier.