College Domestic Abuse

Domestic violence can happen anywhere, including college campuses.

Collecting teddy bears is just one way to show how victims need support and to show the victims there is support out there to help.

101420-monitor intro domestic violence can happen anywhere... including college campuses.

Collecting teddy bears is just one way to show how victims need support and to show the victims there is support out there to help.

Wcbi's stephen pimpo joins us live in the studio with more on this story... there are many stresses in a relationship, which can take on many forms... they look and sound different.

Today, msu campus organizations want to get out the word that domestic abuse victims do not have to suffer in silence.

101420-pkg "not all homes are safe for everyone."

More than 1 in 3 women in america experiences some form of violence or stalking from an intimate partner during their lifetime, that's from the centers for desease control and prevention.

The mississippi state university health promotion and wellness department, uses this month... domestic violence awareness month... to remind students how serious this problem is and how it can happen on campus.

"when people hear of domestic violence, they only think of the physical, when really, it's much more than that."

Health promotion and wellness assistant director santee ezell says people between the ages of 16 and 24 in particular are significantly impacted by domestic violence.

"many of our students may not know the difference between a healthy and an unhealthy relationship."

Su: 32 percent of u.s. college students say they currently experience violence at the hands of their partner.

21 percent say they have experienced violence with a partner in the past.

Campus police say mississippi state does not often deal with those types of incidents...but violence can take different forms. "stalking, sexual harassment, any type of sexual misconduct, revenge pron, digital abuse, financial abuse, and of course emotional and physical abuse."

Msu police chief vance rice says officers respond to stalking and harassment incidents at least every other week.

"recently we had to go so far as to file criminal charges and felony stalking charges against a student."

Both ezell and chief rice agree the best way to stop these incidents...is for students and staff to speak out.

"if you can't report it to police, report it to student affairs.

Report it to the counseling center."

"we know students may not feel comfortable sharing but we hope just creating awareness will let them know that we are a resource here on campus."

101420-tag for mor information on the counseling center, office of survivor support and other resources msu offers...you can visit our website...wcbi.com stinger