Community rallies against violence
By Kassie Kallner
IV Leader Staff, May 3, 2007
“Hey Hey, Ho Ho! Family violence has got to go,” chanted
students, faculty and other community members as they took to the streets of
Peru on April 10 in the annual “Take Back the Night” march.
In its eighth year sponsored by IVCC’s criminal justice
association and Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Service (ADV & SAS),
a record 115 people marched in the event aimed at ending domestic violence. The
event also brought in toiletries that will be donated to area shelters.
Although “truck loads” of donations will benefit area victims
of domestic abuse, according to Rebecca Donna, director of the criminal justice
program, the true goal of the march is to raise awareness about the issues.
“Domestic violence is a social problem. It’s not a woman or a man problem. We
are all involved and we all need to work to stop it,” Donna said.
Before the march began, Judge Cynthia Raccuglia spoke to the
crowd. She explained that when she first became a judge, spousal abuse was okay,
but a lot has changed. “It’s because of your work,” Raccuglia addressed the
criminal justice students, “that I am able to do what I do.”
An underlying success for the event is a relationship between
the criminal justice program and domestic violence services. “Law enforcement
and victim advocates need to have a good working relationship in order to best
serve victims of interpersonal violence,” Janie Larson, ADV & SAS project
coordinator, said. “To start fostering that relationship now will lead to a
better relationship in the future.”
Students dealing with issues of domestic violence can reach
ADV & SAS counselor Dawn Butler in the ADV & SAS office in the counseling center
or by calling 815-224-0484. “If a student knows someone that is being abused we
hope that they will do three things for that person,” Larson urges. “Listen to
them, believe what they’re saying and connect them to resources.”