One in four homicides in the Mid-South is the result of domestic violence.
Since January of this year, 43 percent of assault cases reported to the U of M police have been considered domestic violence, according to Maurice Williams, coordinator of the Crime Prevention Program.
For college students, the combined elements of changing personalities and alcohol consumption can lead to combative situations.
A large percentage of domestic violence is alcohol related, according to William Dwyer, a psychology professor at The University of Memphis.
Domestic violence refers to the violence that occurs between two people who are living together or have a relationship with each other.
For those who engage in domestic abuse, the aggressive behavior behind this type of violence is meant to control or solve conflict.
Of the reported domestic violence cases on campus, 94 percent of these cases occurred in a residential setting, Williams said.
When roommates living in the same house get into a fight, it is not considered domestic violence. If the roommates are involved in a personal relationship, however, it is considered a case of domestic violence. Eighty-eight percent of these involved some form of relationship dispute.
A study recently done by the psychology department shows most domestic violence starts in junior high. Because of the early behavioral patterns that teenagers get involved in, this conduct progresses into high school and later in life.
Research also shows woman tend to be more violent that men. They initiate the argument with the belief the man will not hit back.
“Girls engage in more violence even in junior high,” Dwyer said.
Couples that are abusive have a tendency to stay in the relationship longer for the simple reason that even though people are not happy with the behavior, they know how to handle it. Many times, if the man is the abuser, the woman usually makes excuses for his behavior.
Aside from alcohol consumption, jealousy is also a red flag for domestic violence. Many times a significant other will check the odometer in the car to make sure the other did not drive more than usual, or they may tap the phones or even spy to make sure they are where they say they are.
“Married people, especially those with kids, stay together longer because of money and the kids,” Dwyer said. “Jealousy and alcohol usually get the best of someone when in a relationship.”
Obvious signs of domestic abuse include if your spouse pushes, hits, slaps or shoves you. Less blatant signals might be if he calls you names, criticizes you, calls or appears unexpectedly at your work or isolates you by not letting you attend school or work or visit with friends, according to the Department of Community and Family Services of Multnomah County, Ore. Web site.
In support of domestic violence prevention, the Students Advocating Service has sponsored an event at the Homecoming game Saturday.
Britt Taylor, chairperson for SAS, said students can bring their old cellular phones to a booth at the game to be given to various organizations that deal with domestic violence.
“This is really something the domestic violence groups have been doing without any outside help,” Taylor said. “We heard about it and we thought that because there would be a lot of people at the game, that maybe we can get a lot of support.”
The cell phones will be taken and reprogrammed in a way that any button pushed will automatically dial a number for help. The phones cannot be used for personal conversation and will go to women in violent relationships.
