Submitted by Collin College student Victoria McKinney
On Oct. 15, a subtle hum of excitement vibrated through the Plano Campus Living Legends Conference Center as volunteers welcomed guests to “Love Does Not Hurt: An Oath Against Domestic Violence at Collin College,” an event aimed at helping individuals affected by domestic violence. The event was organized by Collin student Marilyn Abedrabbo and a team of Collin employees and students. Several community leaders were invited to speak about what they are doing to stop domestic violence.
According to Plano Mayor Harry LaRosiliere a future without domestic violence starts with educating the community on what to look for and working closely with the Plano Police Department. He gave statistics which show 1-in-3 women have experienced domestic violence at the hands of a significant other.
McKinney Mayor George Fuller and his wife, Maylee, talked about founding the Love Life Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing awareness of the many tragedies inflicted upon children, and identifying and supporting agencies and groups that bring relief and comfort to the young victims and their families. They shared why this topic was close to their hearts, giving a backstory to what leads them to reach out to others to help them in their time of need.
Senator Van Taylor spoke on what he had been doing to help those who had been victims of domestic violence and those still being stalked by an abuser. He passed a bill to keep victims’ mailing addresses off public property tax records.
Collin student Siboneth Trujillo, a survivor of domestic violence, told her story. She met a man who at first seemed wonderful and to genuinely care for her, then the mind games started.
“This is how it starts, little things you get used to, but you still see warning signs,” she said.
He was sending her more than 50 text messages a day with the mood of the text messages changing from “I love you” to violent outbursts of hate and threats to kill himself.
A group of individuals from different communities came together for the “Love Does Not Hurt” event. It was a small step, but small steps lead to big changes.
Editor’s Note:
Collin College offers Strategies of Behavioral Intervention (SOBI), a resource for Collin College faculty, staff, and students through which they can report student behaviors of concern. For more information, visit http://www.collin.edu/studentresources/SOBI/.