On Friday, March 22, the Psychology Department and Psi Beta Club hosted a Domestic Violence Colloquium featuring guest speaker Susan Gottschalk.
“[Susan] talked about domestic violence and especially how it affects college students,” Jennifer King-Cooper, Psychology professor said.
Gottschalk is the director of the Family Violence Collaborative at the Artemis Center. This is where those looking for help can meet for support, help with handling crisis and safety planning.
Gottschalk’s job entitles her to educate employers and the community.
“I work with everyone in the community who might have contact with a victim, so that contact is as optimal as it can be,” Gottschalk said.
She spoke for two hours discussing domestic violence and the domestic violence dynamic, which involved intimate partner violence, how to recognize victims and how to help them.
“There are lots of indicators, one might be that she’s late to work or school, her grades may drop or she may become less decisive,” Gottschalk said. “And she may become quieter or dress more modestly.”
Psychology students were also invited to attend the colloquium for a learning experience.
“What’s different about this presentation is that it’s being sponsored by the Psychology Department and we are encouraging our students to come,” King-Cooper said.
She also said that many of the faculty members gave extra credit for attending.
King-Cooper is a member of the domestic violence task force on campus and knew Gottschalk would be a good person to speak about the topic.
Gottschalk hopes those that attended the colloquium now understand how often domestic violence happens, how important it is to be supportive of victims and how to help them.
“Domestic violence thrives on secrecy,” Gottschalk said. “The more people who know about it, the better our chances are of eliminating it.”
The Artemis Center has been providing alternatives to domestic violence for 28 years and all of the services provided by the Artemis Center are free
To get help contact the Artemis Center by calling (937) 222-7233 or visit artemiscenter.org for more information.