Dozens of students, staff, and community members gathered at Stony Brook University on October 29 for the annual “Take a Stand/Walk With Me” march to raise awareness about relationship and domestic violence. The event coincided with Domestic Violence Awareness Month and was led by the university’s marching band, dance team, and mascot Wolfie. Participants carried signs with messages such as “Love Shouldn’t Hurt” and “Seawolves Break the Silence,” while chants echoed across the Student Activities Center (SAC) Plaza.
Christine Szaraz, associate director of the Center for Prevention and Outreach (CPO) and survivor advocate, addressed those assembled: “We want people to understand what violence looks like — verbal, physical, emotional, sexual. We’re here to say, ‘Not here, not okay.’ Violence thrives in silence… we’re making a lot of noize and bringing it out of the shadows.”
Before the march began, campus organizations including CPO, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Planned Parenthood, ECLI Vibes, and Healthier U provided information tables on prevention resources and support services. Students also made purple care packages to show solidarity with survivors.
Szaraz highlighted that between 20% to 30% of college students experience some form of relationship violence. She noted that more than half are unsure how to recognize abuse or help a friend. “It’s not just a one-day-a-year thing, bringing awareness to these issues,” she said.
Richard Gatteau, vice president for Student Affairs at Stony Brook University, reinforced the institution’s commitment: “At Stony Brook, you are not alone,” he said. “Domestic violence has no place in our community. Ending it requires all of us, our students, faculty, and staff working together to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and stand in solidarity with survivors.”
Amanda Zhao—a senior nursing student serving as CPO’s VIPRE student assistant/peer educator—encouraged ongoing engagement: “Having educational workshops like One Love is awesome,” Zhao said about CPO’s program for recognizing unhealthy relationships. “What is even more awesome is that that’s not the only resource and program that we offer to students.”
As participants marched through campus chanting calls to action against violence—including “Seawolves break the silence! We can end the violence!”—Szaraz reflected on nearly two decades of this tradition: “This march has been happening for almost 20 years,” she said. “And my favorite part every year is when the drummers lead us to represent that we will not be silent.”
Stony Brook University provides various on-campus resources for sexual assault prevention and survivor support through its Center for Prevention and Outreach (CPO), Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS), SANE Center services via its Survivor Advocate contact point; Title IX office; as well as safety support from University Police Department.
Off-campus resources include ECLI-VIBES; Long Island Against Domestic Violence; National Sexual Assault Hotline; National Domestic Violence Hotline; One Love Foundation; National Sexual Violence Resource Center; National Resource Center on Domestic Violence.