Domestic violence awareness week at SCHS

By: Oyuky Bahena | Editor

October 14, 2019

The fall season just arrived a few weeks ago, and with it came October, jam-packed with events and activities. There’s the obvious celebration of Halloween, along with the festivities that come with it, such as pumpkin carving and watching scary movies. But there are also deeper, more serious issues pressing San Clemente High School students this October.

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is being promoted by students on campus adorning pink shirts and bracelets that prompt students to get more involved in raising awareness and finding a cure.

But there is also another severe issue that doesn’t get a lot of light shed on it: domestic violence.

The week of October 7, 2019 is marked Domestic Violence Awareness Week at SCHS, where students are encouraged to donate goods to domestic violence shelters, sign up for exclusive presentations and events, and overall become more involved in raising awareness.

“I feel like people don’t really talk about it because it’s a serious topic,” senior Jenna Yeam said, “but I think it’s really great [to have this week at SCHS].”

On Friday,October 11, Laura’s House Heart Club presented at SCHS. Laura’s House is a domestic violence shelter in Orange County, and their HEART Club is a club dedicated to helping individuals recognize unhealthy behaviors in relationships, whether it be involving them or just around them.

“It’s important for people to know what healthy and unhealthy behaviors in relationships look like,” Laura’s House Prevention and Education representative, Molly Delbridge, said.

Delbridge went on to explain the relative ease with which teenagers can dismiss toxic relationship behaviors due to their inexperience and the overall influence of society.

Society tends to manipulate the situation to where the victim is antagonized, discrediting their claims, further isolating them until it is too late. And it’s very easy for society to do this to a teenager who is still growing and finding their place in the world.

Domestic violence is definitely not an issue to be taken lightly, nor is it something that can be fixed overnight. But it is something that can be recognized more frequently so that it can be minimized. Having this awareness week at SCHS was a small but important step to creating a bigger and better solution for the future.

Laura’s House will be accepting donations all through the end of this week for domestic violence shelters. See https://www.laurashouse.org/wishlist for items & check the school website for drop-off locations.