Kristen Linnartz
Staff Writer
A message that is not only addressed at Springfield College, but is addressed everywhere is dating violence and how to prevent it. Thursday, April 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the Fuller Arts Center there will be a performance called The Yellow Dress that will be relaying that message.
The Yellow Dress performance is sponsored by Avon Healthy Relationships Grant and is a one-woman play. There is music involved and is based on the lives of women who have been victims to relationship violence.
“We wanted to bring something that would spark a conversation about sexual assault and relationship violence,” said the director of the Counseling Center, Brian Krylowicz.
The performance is held by the Counseling Center and Public Safety to relay the message of relationship violence to help people who may be experiencing this in the community and on campus to feel comfortable talking about it. It is recommended that students attend to be well aware of these behaviors.
This performance will help people to understand when this abuse may be happening to them. It will show the warning signs of an abusive relationship and the different views of dating violence. You will learn how to help others, whether it is a family member or a friend or even a stranger who may be experiencing dating violence, become aware of these issues.
“It’s one of those things that even if you have never been affected by relationship violence, it keeps you more aware of the issues someone might go through in such an experience,” said Krylowicz.
Getting the message out there and making people more aware of something that could be going on in our community is very important. The Yellow Dress will inform people about this form of violence and how to change it and improve the lives of people who are experiencing it. This performance is something that, as a whole, will improve our community.
“Those who have been through domestic violence relationships will have at least a voice of someone saying things that will let them know that this isn’t your fault. This is something that has happened to you and how do we go on to help you change this experience afterwards? That is really the message we are trying to relay,” said Krylowicz.