Column: University of Hawaii assists domestic abuse survivors

In the not-so-distant past, domestic violence or intimate partner violence was not openly discussed in the community or workplace. That a loved one would harm his or her intimate partner in a coercive, deliberate and violent manner was a difficult truth that many would prefer to minimize or deny. Spousal and intimate “disputes” were considered private matters, and even trained professionals experienced many challenges in developing safe interventions for victims who were trapped by abusive partners.

We now understand the prevalence of domestic violence globally and, sadly, here in Hawaii. We now know that while domestic violence can affect anyone, there are certain populations that are even more vulnerable including indigenous populations, gender minorities, and the disabled — particularly when these identities intersect.

Because its pervasiveness is often hidden from sight, domestic violence is considered by many experts to be a silent global pandemic. And incidents are markedly on the rise in this global COVID-19 pandemic, driven by loss of employment, economic insecurity and the lockdown of homes and families to protect our health.

In Hawaii, the Domestic Violence Action Center (DVAC) has been at the forefront of work to help and protect victims and reduce prevalence of domestic violence in our communities. Throughout its three decades of systemic advocacy and providing direct services to survivors and their families, DVAC has consistently maintained that the pervasive, yet shadowy nature of domestic requires the commitment of leaders from all sectors and across systems to recognize their roles in addressing this public health crisis and to commit to improving institutional responses and supporting creative and collaborative prevention strategies.

To that end, I am honored to serve on DVAC’s Council of Allies. I am keenly aware that the effort to keep domestic violence survivors safe during these unprecedented times requires thoughtful discussions about how to improve partnerships and enhance collaborations.

Six years ago, the University of Hawaii began developing a comprehensive plan to strengthen our own systemwide infrastructure — one that would support student and employee survivors of domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence.

We expanded our participation in the community and increased our visible commitment to ending intimate partner violence through collaborative and community-based initiatives, such as the Men’s March Against Violence. In 2015, we revised our policies and procedures to prohibit dating/domestic violence and stalking. That same year, we increased access to confidential resources available to members of our campus communities. We formalized relationships and partnerships statewide with DVAC, the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Child and Family Service, and the YWCA Kauai.

We continue to work with these agencies to provide survivor-centered support services as we provide collaborative training programs for our students and employees. And we now regularly administer campus climate surveys so we can understand the breadth and depth of domestic violence within our community.

We are proud to work with DVAC and look forward to working with them and other allies to develop more innovative ways to build a stronger safety net for survivors and reduce incidence levels. If there is any promise to defeat this silent pandemic, we must be guided by the expertise and institutional experiences of those who are working on the front lines, such as DVAC.

As DVAC celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, we pay tribute to an incredible legacy of visionary advocacy work to increase survivor safety while ensuring abuser accountability. Congratulation and many thanks to DVAC for three decades of service and leadership to end intimate partner violence. We are honored to be part of your shared journey.

David Lassner is president of the University of Hawaii.

To mark this year’s 30th anniversary of the Domestic Violence Action Center, the Star-Advertiser will run a column each month this year to highlight aspects of the problem of domestic abuse. Authors will be from DVAC’s Council of Allies, formed to raise awareness about this communitywide issue.