Health and Harmony Fair at Leeward Community College

Photo by Tayshia Kaohu

Did you know that about 18.5% of students in the UH system have reported being in or witnessing domestic violence (DV) situations? Or how about the fact that Native Hawaiians or Filipino ethnic individuals are more likely to experience domestic violence? In a research study provided by the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, they provided both of these facts about domestic violence. Not only in Hawai‘i but nationwide research too. Domestic Violence is a huge issue and it takes a toll both physically and mentally; being aware of what services are available is a good way to build relationships and find people who share similar experiences.

On Oct. 16, Leeward Community College provided the opportunity to educate their students and the community with a Health and Harmony Faif for domestic violence awareness month. The fair hosted different vendors that tackled different domestic violence issues. These vendors also provide different workshops, and therapeutic assistance which are key to understanding the signs of domestic violence and learning how to prevent it or reach out for a support system.

“It was a very interactive and learning experience. The wide variety of vendors helped me learn a lot of services that provide different services that surround domestic violence," stated Angel Dulay, a student at Leeward.

Dulay described several vendors that offer valuable services to Leeward students. One such service is Love Pono, a podcast focused on building meaningful relationships through discussions on educational topics. Another important resource is the Leeward Mental Health and Student Health Center, which promotes positive physical and mental well-being for students who utilize its services. Additionally, the Student Activities Board (SAB) organized a fair for LCC and offered a yoga session, allowing students to stretch and relax between classes.

“One example of common domestic violence includes toxic relationships. Seeing that the two aren't very compatible is also an easy way to spot these relationships,” said Benjamin Inamine Public Health Research Intern at Breast Cancer Hawaii.

Aside from the services on campus, some vendors were from all over Oahu. K9 TheraPets (Of Hawai‘i) provides beneficial mental services with fluffy dogs like Maki the happy-go-lucky golden retriever that lives for people’s attention. There were also massage sessions with a massage therapist, Angelee Homma, who gave people a relieving massage and provided tips about where a person’s stress points are and how to avoid them in future situations. Another service that was at the fair was Planned Parenthood. They focused their services on sexual and reproductive health for individuals no matter their sexual orientation. Lastly, some services focus on preventing health problems like Breast Cancer Hawai’i which provides services for survivors of breast cancer.

Toxic relationships such as how Mr.Inamine described are a more common type of DV that is present in daily life. It's not as irrational as sexual assault or being verbally assaulted, but it's situations like this that can be prevented from turning into an unsafe relationship. “If you see something, say something” is a quote used on a poster on TheBus. This quote alone provides a major tip not only for riding the bus but also for using your voice to prevent things from happening. If you see DV situations like these it's wise not to cause any initial aggression towards the violent person and the victim unless needed. It's also wise to reach out and become a support system for people who experienced these traumatic occasions or maybe are still in it. For individuals that feel the need to reach out to someone it is wise to find support systems through people you can trust and feel comfortable with or reach out to Health Centers. These Health Centers can be considerate too if you feel the need to have privacy in your session most/all of these centers are open to a one-on-one discussion or if you feel comfortable staying home or in a safe place they are always open to calls or video sessions.

“It’s a serious thing to take into consideration. I’ve shared an experience of DV with my cousins and it took a toll both physically and mentally. My cousins who were around their pre-teens did not handle it well either,” said Dulay.

Know Your Resources and find Hotlines/Websites that are here for you.

Confidential Contacts

Leslie Yabang (MSW) Office of Institutional Equity

Phone-(808)548-0452

Email-advocate@hawaii.edu

Informational Resource

Love Pono

Website- https://library.leeward.hawaii.edu/c.php?g=1234175&p=9031839

Community Resources

Domestic Violence Action Center (DVAC)-Crisis Support

Oahu Helpline-(808)531-3771

Messaging-(605)956-5690