The Radical Notion
11.2.15 | Cassidy Ellis
When October came, many people’s first thoughts were of fall weather and Halloween. I’d bet that a close second was breast cancer awareness. For as long as I can remember, October has been synonymous with candy corn, harvest festivals, “pink out” games, and “saving the tatas.” Less well known, however, is the fact that October is also Dating and Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DDVAM).
My school, The University of Alabama, has recently become very involved in raising awareness of sexual assault and dating violence, even launching an “It’s On Us” campaign sponsored by our Student Government Association. Unlike many schools throughout the country, at UA we also have a Women and Gender Resource Center that advocates for victims of sexual assault and dating violence, and provides trainings for students, faculty, and staff on proper responses to victims. Further, I’m always excited to see all the types of events, rallies, and demonstrations that my fellow student feminist activists hold at schools across the nation.
I appreciate attempts to raise awareness for causes like breast cancer, sexual assault, and dating and domestic violence when they’re genuine. However, when we decentralize the people who are affected by these issues and delegitimize their experiences, these efforts to “raise awareness” become problematic.
