Domestic and Dating Violence Awareness Month

Love shouldn't hurt

The month of October is recognized nationally as domestic violence awareness month.  SPU participates in this national campaign by raising awareness on campus about domestic violence and dating violence, also known as intimate partner violence. SPU wants to help students and employees understand, prevent, and (if applicable) recover from domestic and dating violence.


Love Shouldn’t Hurt campaign. Ongoing through October, watch areas on campus for a campaign to raise awareness about dating violence and the “red flags” that can be present in relationships. The campaign encourages people to recognize these harmful relationship red flags in their own relationships and in the relationships of others and to speak up about them. 

Wear Purple October 21st   Wear Purple for Domestic Violence Awareness Day. This day is also known as Purple Thursday observed on the Thursday in the third full week in October. Post a picture on social media with #PURPLETHURSDAY to bring awareness to the epidemic of domestic and dating violence co-occurring with the pandemic.

Make a Promise – Lauren’s Promise. Lauren McCluskey, a 21-year-old honors student athlete, was murdered on Oct. 22, 2018, by a man she briefly dated. Lauren’s Promise is a vow that educators can include in their syllabi to let students know they will be believed and heard if they need help. Faculty at more than 150 colleges and universities across the country have already adopted Lauren’s Promise. You don’t have to be an educator to make this promise though – often friends and family are the first to learn that someone they care about is experiencing harm. Contact the Office for Inclusive Excellence to request an “I Made Lauren’s Promise” sticker.

Survivor Love Letter. Write supportive messaging and design your own artwork for those who have experienced intimate partner violence. The Office of Safety and Security will gather all the messages to showcase in a virtual display. 

28th Annual Domestic Violence Conference (County of Santa Clara). This free conference will examine the long-term--and sometimes hidden--impacts of domestic violence on the health and well-being of the entire family and the journey towards healing. Visit the website for a full list of webinars. Some offerings include:
October 15 at 9:30am - 11:00am “Elevating the Voices of Survivors of Domestic Violence”
October 15 at 11:00am - 12:30pm “Exploring the Intersections of Gender-Based Violence and Homelessness” 
October 22nd  at 8:00am  “Transgender Resilience”

Join the #PutTheNailInIt campaign. Paint your ring finger purple and help spread awareness of domestic and dating violence.

Watch a TED talk on domestic violence to gain important insight into the psyche of a survivor.  Listen to Leslie Morgan Steiner on “Why domestic violence victims don’t leave.”

Listen to a podcast by Prevent Connect: Connections to & Impacts of COVID-19 in which the presenters draw connections between domestic violence, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the intersections of racial justice and survivor justice.

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) describes physical violence, sexual violence, stalking and psychological aggression (including coercive acts) by a current or former intimate partner.1 Intimate Partner Violence affects people of all ages, sexes, cultures, religions, professions and income levels, yet remains widely under-reported.

Several different words are used to describe Intimate Partner Violence. They include:

  • Relationship abuse
  • Intimate partner violence
  • Relationship violence
  • Dating abuse
  • Domestic abuse
  • Domestic violence

Examples of intimate partners include current or former spouses, boyfriends or girlfriends, dating partners, or sexual partners. IPV can occur between heterosexual or same-sex couples and does not require sexual intimacy. 

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/intimatepartnerviolence/definitions.html 

Red Flags of Abuse

There are many warning signs that can help identify whether you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship. The following list includes warning signs that someone may be abusive. Red flags include someone who:

  • Wants to move too quickly into the relationship.
  • Early in the relationship flatters you constantly, and seems "too good to be true."
  • Wants you all to him- or herself; insists that you stop spending time with your friends or family.
  • Insists that you stop participating in hobbies or activities, quit school, or quit your job.
  • Does not honor your boundaries. 
  • Is excessively jealous and accuses you of being unfaithful. 
  • Wants to know where you are all of the time and frequently calls, emails, and texts you throughout the day. 
  • Criticizes or puts you down; says you are crazy, stupid, and/or fat/unattractive, or that no one else would ever want or love you. 
  • Takes no responsibility for his or her behavior and blames others. 
  • Has a history of abusing others. 
  • Blames the entire failure of previous relationships on his or her former partner; for example, "My ex was totally crazy." 
  • Takes your money or runs up your credit card debt. 
  • Rages out of control with you but can maintain composure around others. 

For help and information

More Local Resources in Washington State can be found at the http://wscadv.org/washington-domestic-violence-programs/

What About The Men?

Listen to the conversation about men’s issues within domestic violence with Dr. Nancy Murphy and Andrew J. Bauman

Teen Dating Violence: What Do We Know About Dating Violence from Adolescence into Young Adulthood?

Teen dating violence is a serious public health problem that is also associated with increased odds of experiencing adult intimate partner violence. This webinar will provide newly emerging information from two NIH/NIJ co-funded longitudinal studies about the progression of dating violence in the period between adolescence and early adulthood. 

Seattle Pacific University gratefully acknowledges the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice, for allowing us to reproduce, in part or in whole, the video Teen Dating Violence - What Do We Know About Dating Violence from Adolescence into Young Adulthood? The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this video are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

There are many opportunities to support Gender Based Violence Education at SPU

Contact OSS to learn ways you can get involved with GBV education, awareness and prevention opportunities through the academic year.