Raising awareness and providing students and faculty with basic information about domestic violence were among the primary topics of this year’s annual “Why I Wear Purple” event.

Kelly Wilt, the organizer on site and head of Prevention, Education, and Advocacy Center (PEAC), feels that this issue is affecting more students on campus than many people realize.

“I would say a quarter of the [student] population at least, in some way, shape or form, has either directly experienced or has someone in their family who’s experienced domestic abuse,” Wilt stated in an interview prior to the event.

Wilt stressed that some of the most important work her department does is reaching out to people who may not realize these issues matter to them. She added that domestic violence does not always refer to physical abuse. Wilt further stated that emotional and verbal abuse also fall under the umbrella of domestic violence and are perhaps more common than physical abuse.

Some participants of the “Why I Wear Purple” event echoed Wilt’s feelings. Maya Cromwell ’20, who participated in this particular movement in high school, is one of them.

“It really makes me sad that one, a lot of people don’t understand this is a serious issue that happens to many people;” said Cromwell. “And two, that many people don’t understand abuse is so much more than just someone getting hit…. So many people are affected by this and don’t even realize it.”

“Why I Wear Purple” took place on Britton Plaza from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. During the event, many passing students and faculty stopped by the table that PEAC had set up next to the HUB to talk to members of PEAC about the work they do on campus. Many of these people wore purple clothing, the official color of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The table distributed some basic information on domestic violence in the form of relationship quizzes and pamphlets. Blank “Why I Wear Purple” posters were also handed out, on which people could write personalized messages as to why they stood behind the cause of domestic violence awareness.

Wilt feels that her efforts are making a difference and that increasing awareness is one of the first steps to solving domestic violence. When she arrived to Dickinson, two years ago, she took on the task of developing these efforts into an official department, what is currently known as PEAC. The organization has three student employees and 20 peer educators who are very active in violence prevention efforts on campus. Wilt also added that national organizations like the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), along with local organizations like the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) of Carlisle provide PEAC with helpful violence prevention resources. One of these resources is the 24-hour advocacy line run by the Carlisle YWCA.

Wilt strongly urges anyone suffering from domestic abuse in any shape to use the advocacy line at (717) 831-8850.