Published on: Wednesday, October 07, 2009

By Brian Hooks, Special to The Sentinel

Students and university officials gathered outside of McKeldin Library at the University of Maryland last Wednesday to announce a collaborative effort against abusive relationships, in a kickoff to domestic violence awareness month. Three hundred flags adorned the campus mall as representatives from the Verizon Foundation were on hand to discuss the “Red Flag Campaign” and the HopeLine phone program, which are now part of 55 universities nationwide.

According to the “Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice,” 21 percent of all college dating relationships has one partner who encounters violence in the relationship. Also, women between the ages of 16 and 24 experience the highest rate of violence from intimate partners.

“It’s important for young people to know that abuse does not have to be physical to be damaging. Emotional abuse needs to be taken just as seriously,” said Mike Maiorana, regional president for Verizon Wireless. “We’re very proud to fund this innovative program which is being recognized across the nation,” Maiorana said.

Verizon’s HopeLine program supported the university’s campaign with a $5,000 grant, which will go toward helping victims of abuse at the university. The HopeLine program was started in 2001, and has since collected, refurbished and resold six million phones, making $7 million available to domestic violence campaigns across the nation.

“In addition to reaching out to students who may be in abusive relationships, we want to send a message to anyone concerned about a friend in an unhealthy relationship,” said Linda Clement, vice president of student affairs. “Our message is this: when you see a red flag, speak up.”

Kaitlyn Murphy, student educator for the Sexual Assault Response and Prevention Program (SARPP), said, “It is only when we acknowledge that this violence exists that we can begin to stop domestic violence on our campus.” SARPP is a peer awareness and intervention group based out of the University Health Center.

Allison Bennett, SARPP coordinator, said the effort is “an approach toward having [students] actually train other people to not be violent.”

Steve Glickman, student body president, said to the gathering, “speaking up is the first step, but often times it is the hardest step.”

The Red Flag Campaign officially launched on 18 Virginia universities in October of 2007. The red flags represent the indicators of domestic abuse to couples and onlookers.

Posters were also created by the campaign, focusing on both male and female students who exhibit signs, or “red flags,” of being a victim or aggressor in a relationship. One poster, concealing the identity of a young man, read, “I didn’t want to put her down in front of her friends, but she just wouldn’t shut up.”

The HopeLine program, in cooperation with the health center, provides cell phones for victims of domestic abuse. According to Maiorana, Verizon is providing BlackBerry Storm devices to registered abuse victims, with 3,000 anytime minutes and other basic features.

The University Health Center will be hosting three more events, including Violence Intervention Assistant training Oct. 10 and 11, a “Survivor Garden” ceremony Oct. 20, and a dating violence presentation Oct. 28.