Divas for DVA
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The sisters of Alpha Chi Omega are known for their passion and dedication to all aspects of our lives – from academics, to friendships, to career goals, we put our hearts and souls into all that we do. Raising awareness about domestic violence, our national philanthropic endeavor, is no exception. Every 9 seconds, a woman in the United States is assaulted or beaten. "Around the world, at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused during her lifetime," according to an United Nation's study study on violence against women. The pervasiveness of this issue is astounding: Domestic violence is truly an issue that impacts us all – it transcends race, class, culture, and age, impacting women and men everywhere.
While the horrifying persistence of violence against women is a moral outrage, we must acknowledge that it’s economically costly for all of us as well. Domestic violence victims lose nearly 8 million days of paid work per year in the United States alone, while as a nation, the United States loses $5.8 billion per year due to domestic violence: $4.1 billion are spent for direct medical and health care services, while productivity losses account for nearly $1.8 billion. And, of course, the physical, emotional and psychological toll domestic violence takes is incalculable.
Considering these harrowing facts, the Theta Psi chapter of AXO is proud to launch our first annual “DIVAS for DVA” Domestic Violence Awareness Week. From October 1 – October 5 we will host a variety of events daily to help the Columbia community better understand the intricacies and scope of this issue. We’ll start the week with a Domestic Violence Awareness Panel on Monday, further raise awareness through the distribution of ribbons and information about the Clothesline Project on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a Krav Maga self-defense class on Wednesday evening that is not to be missed. We’ll round out the week with a screening of the DVA Documentary “Carolyn: The Silent Secret” on Thursday and end the week with Divas for DVAS Performance Showcase featuring the incredible talent of CU organizations Raw Elementz, CU Ballroom, Uptown Vocal, Black Theatre Ensemble, Taylor Harvey, Gospel Choir, and more.
Whether you choose to attend all of our events or just stop by one or two, we hope to see you come out and support a cause that’s near and dear to our hearts, and incredibly pertinent to the Columbia University community!
Monday 10/1/12, 6-9pm Domestic Violence Awareness Panel C555 (Lerner)
Tuesday 10/2/12, 2pm-3pm Domestic Violence Awareness Tabling — Ribbon Making (Lerner Tables 1)
Tuesday 10/2/12 7:30pm-10pm Domestic Violence Awareness Art Exhibit with Center Against Domestic Violence and CU Artists (Broadway Room)
Wednesday 10/3/12, 12pm-3pm Domestic Violence Awareness Tabling — Clothesline Project (Lerner Tables 1)
Wednesday 10/3/12 8pm-11pm Self defense class with Krav Maga (Lerner Party Space)
Thursday 10/4/12 6pm-10pm Domestic violence awareness Documentary: Carolyn: The Silent Secret (West Ramp Lounge)
Friday 10/5/12 8:30pm-11pm Divas for DVAS Performance – Featuring: Raw Elementz, CU Ballroom, Uptown Vocal, Black Theatre Ensemble, and Taylor Harvey (Roone Auditorium)