Domestic violence can often feel like it is far away, but it may be as close as across the street.
For Dawn Wilson, domestic violence has affected her life, as well as the lives of those she loves.
“I’m a survivor of domestic violence,” Wilson said. “And my goddaughter was killed out here at the Seventeenth Apartments by her boyfriend, who later killed himself while incarcerated.”
Wilson and her family traveled from Virginia Beach to attend the Purple Mile Walk at Wichita State on Oct. 12, an event that brings awareness to domestic violence.
Wilson shared her experience with domestic violence.
“I got out of it in 2009, but I was in it for a long time,” Wilson said. “I did not think I had the support. I was embarrassed to let people know what (was) happening to me.”
According to the CDC, 41% of women experience “sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime and reported a related impact.”
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and for nine years, Wichita social services and support centers have hosted the Purple Mile Walk to help normalize conversations around domestic violence.
Cora Olson is the wellness program and outreach manager at Health Outreach Prevention and Education Services at WSU. She said many of the participants at the walk lost loved ones to domestic violence. Every year, the organizers gather a list of people who have lost their lives from domestic violence.
“It’s a chance for families who want to come and have their loved ones remembered and acknowledged, and to be able to connect with people in this community that care about preventing this issue,” Olson said. “It’s a chance to see that they’re not alone, and to share the grief and the weight of that loss, and to just celebrate the life of the person that they are remembering.”
Moment of silence
During the walk, students from the Coleman Middle School World Changers club held signs with names and pictures of those who lost their lives to domestic violence, as well as posters depicting red flags in relationships.
Laura Almquist-Parks leads the club and has brought her students to the Purple Mile event every year since it started.
“I like to teach my students about healthy relationships and red flags, and so that’s part of our process,” Almquist-Parks said. “We want to be able to stand up in honor of the people who were killed as a result of domestic violence.”
The students led the mile-long walk around the WSU campus, and were the “centerpiece” of the moment of silence before the walk, “so that everyone can see that we are with them,” Almquist-Parks said.
Nakia Caldwell has been attending the Purple Mile event for seven years in honor of her sister, who was killed as a result of domestic violence.
“I think the most important (part of the event) for me — and the hardest for me — is the moment of silence during the walk,” Caldwell said. “I think that has the most profound effect on everybody that comes. But then we also feel at that moment why everybody is here, and it seems like it gets bigger and more bigger every year.”
Preventing domestic violence
Olson and her team work throughout the year to offer services and support to Wichita State students through tabling and educational events. Olson said that what happens on campus affects the community, and what happens in the community affects campus.
“Part of health promotion prevention work is working on a cultural shift, which is really difficult,” Olson said. “A lot of sexual assault prevention, or dating and domestic violence prevention is (centered) around learning harm reduction techniques to keep yourself safe.”
Although personal safety is important, Olson said that it is everyone’s responsibility to support one another.
“Domestic violence is 100% curable,” said Shannon Wilson, Sedgwick County chief district attorney. “We are 100% able to cure this problem, and that is what we are doing. We are here to spread the word and let people know. No more.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, you can contact Safeline Kansas at 1-888-363-2287, or text SAFE to 847411.
