The Impact News

Issue date: 11/21/07 Section: News

The Bronx Campus hosted for the third year the annual "Walk With Me" on Oct. 24. "Walk With Me" is a silent procession which is held each year at college campuses across the state. It is a collaboration between Assembly Women Naomi Rivera and Mercy College to draw attention to domestic violence.

"The walk is held around October because it is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The procession is done to heighten the attention of women abuse. It is beautiful that Rivera chose our institution. We make a statement about domestic violence and it is good to make sure the issues of domestic violence are not forgotten and people know what the horrors of Domestic Violence are," said George Moton, Bronx Campus Coordinator of Student Activities.

Domestic violence is a growing concern in the world. Sometimes also referred to as domestic abuse, it occurs when a family member, partner or ex-partner attempts to physically or psychologically dominate another human being. Domestic violence often refers to violence between spouses but can also include cohabitants and non-married intimate partners.

In America, domestic violence is illegal, but some victims are too scared of their abusers to report the abuse. In some countries domestic violence is accepted and sometimes even approved of to keep spouses, usually women, in line. Some surveys report that as high as 50-70 percent of women have been physically assaulted by their intimate other.

This year, over 1000 people participated in the walk including elected officials New York State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson and New York Councilman Joel Rivera, representatives from local domestic violence service providers and college students.

Other local colleges also joined Mercy College, including Bronx Community College, Fordham University, Hostos Community College, and Lehman College.

"This brought our Mercy student in contact with other colleges and brought us to the attention of other colleges. Our students conversed with the other colleges and it was beautiful to see our students participating," said Moton.

Students in the annual "Walk With Me" wore makeup to mimic injuries victims sustain in domestic abuse. The students also made a skit about a boyfriend's abuse of his girlfriend to educate people about the dangers and horrors of domestic abuse.

For more information, visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline at www.ndvh.org on the web.

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