Its Abuse

Throughout my life, I've been around and in abusive relationships. Regardless of which partner is doing the abusing, relationship abuse is often silenced and rarely addressed amongst all age groups. It is sometimes a misunderstood concept as well. Sometimes referred to as intimate partner or domestic violence, it is known as the assaultive and coercive behaviors used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over one other partner in an intimate relationship (Itsabuse.com). Relationship abuse isn't limited to violence either. When one partner in the relationship is humiliated, ridiculed, harassed, or subjected to controlling behavior its abuse, and it is wrong. ItsAbuse is campaign that provides peer support to break the silence about abuse on college campuses. The website states the campaign goals:

Raise awareness among students of the warning signs of physical, verbal, and emotional relationship abuse; it's all about control;

Educate students about maintaining healthy relationships now, and throughout their adult lives; it’s all about respect;

Generate awareness of campus and community resources for victims (and perpetrators) of relationship abuse.

The Its Abuse campaign has expanded to Ohio State, Captial University, DeVry University, Columbus State, and Ohio Dominican. Setting up weekly group meetings to help college students in abusive relationships. Ohio Dominican University begins their weekly Relationship Abuse Groups on February 11th and it will continue every Thursday from 1:00PM to 2:30PM. Please visit ItsAbuse.com to learn more, or set up a chapter at your university.