The Campus, Advocacy, Resources, and Education office hosted a purple ribbon-making event in honor of Relationship Violence Awareness Month on Oct. 12. Roughly 25 students attended the event in the Student Resource Building to make ribbons and learn about relationship violence.
Attendees were encouraged to tie ribbons after the presentation. Daily Nexus / Wynne Bendell
Campus, Advocacy, Resources, and Education (C.A.R.E.) provides confidential and free professional sexual violence prevention and intervention resources on campus. According to C.A.R.E. prevention program coordinator and UC Santa Barbara alumna Stephanie Raya, anyone who has experienced sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking or has been indirectly impacted can talk to one of C.A.R.E.’s advocates.
“We are confidential. We are not reporting anything. We are just letting you know what your options are, supporting you through that process and getting you connected with the right people,” Raya said.
October is Relationship Violence Awareness Month. Over one in three women and one in four men in the U.S. experience rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
The ribbon making event began with a presentation on relationship violence, including identifiers of unhealthy or abusive relationships. Such signs include an intimate partner restricting their partner’s time with friends and family or not letting their partner participate in extracurricular activities.
“It’s about tying ribbons and getting involved while also being educated on how to prevent harm from happening,” C.A.R.E peer educator and third-year biopsychology major Kareena Morrissey said.
Organizers shared C.A.R.E’s healthy relationship bill of rights, which included statements such as, “I have the right to be treated with respect,” and “I have the right to say no and not feel guilty.” They then had attendees each say one of the points out loud.
“I really do think it’s important that we all are able to say out loud that we do deserve these healthy relationships,” Raya said.
Approximately 25 students attended the event. Daily Nexus / Wynne Bendell
Raya said it is important to educate the UCSB community about relationship violence and prevention through events like ribbon making, which are worn to show support for victims of relationship violence. The ribbon is purple in support of National Relationship Violence Awareness Month.
“Relationship violence is everywhere; it’s not specific to UCSB, but I think we are doing what we can to promote awareness of this and inform people about this issue in a way that is specific to the UCSB community, and I feel like that’s what this event is,” Raya said.
After the presentation, attendees made ribbons by cutting purple ribbon, looping the material, securing it with safety pins and writing “CARE” on them.
While making the ribbons, Raya encouraged attendees to share signs of a healthy relationship as pertaining to healthy relationships in their own lives. Students shared their answers in small groups. Some referenced their relationship with their siblings and others mentioned relationships with their roommates.
Third-year sociology major Ariella Vasquez said the event made her more aware of the dangers of relationship violence and what she could do to prevent it.
“This event just opened up my eyes a bit. Events like this help our community out and help to spread awareness to the dangers we face in our everyday lives,” Vasquez said.
A version of this article appeared on p. 8 of the Oct. 17, 2024 edition of the Daily Nexus.
