USI to hold community roundtable event in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The University of Southern Indiana, with grant support from the Community-Engaged Alliance, will present a community roundtable event, “Speak Now: Addressing Domestic Violence in the Tri-state Area,” at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, October 26 in University Center East, Rooms 2217-18. The roundtable discussion, organized by USI students, will honor Domestic Violence Awareness Month and will feature a range of community partner participants. The event is open to the public at no charge.

USI students in Criminal Justice 403, a course focused on violence against women and taught by Dr. Taylor Petty, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, will promote, facilitate and moderate the roundtable, as well as provide resources on domestic violence for attendees.

“This project will allow Dr. Petty’s students to combine course concepts with experiential learning in a way that will help them understand domestic violence issues more deeply, while at the same time providing an opportunity to help local organizations raise awareness in our community,” explains Dr. Monica O’Neil, Director of Service Learning at USI.

Roundtable participants will include representatives from Albion Fellows Bacon Center, Holly’s House and the Chloe Randolph Organization. Guest speakers will include a Vanderburgh County detective, an Evansville Police Department Detective and a local nurse with experience in treating victims and survivors of domestic violence

“This grant initiative was designed to allow faculty and students to address a community problem in a way that improves student learning and enhances difficult conversations between campus and community,” says Elijah Howe, CEA Executive Director. “Domestic violence is a difficult topic, but one that is critically important to address for the health of Hoosier families and communities. We are honored to support Dr. O’Neil and Dr. Petty in this project because it delivers high-impact education practices while addressing important community-identified need.”

“We’re grateful for the opportunity, through the generous support of the Community-Engaged Alliance, to host this community-campus dialogue during Domestic Violence Awareness Month,” says Dawn Stoneking, Executive Director of Outreach and Engagement. “The conversation is critical to understanding the prevalence and devastating consequences of domestic abuse, to mobilize support for victims and survivors and to advocate for a safe community free from domestic abuse.”