Bloomington fighting domestic violence

October isn't only filled with colors of orange and black. Many people are wearing a different color this month as they pin on purple ribbons to represent Domestic Violence Awareness Month. \nAccording to the National Coalition against Domestic Violence's Web site, DVAM first arose in October 1987. It evolved from the Day of Unity, which is celebrated on the first Monday of October. \nBloomington plans to raise awareness about domestic violence in many different ways. Among them, Middle Way House, the Rise!, Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance and others will sponsor Take Back the Night at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday in Dunn Meadow. Events include rallies, a showing of "Tough Guise," which discusses the roles men play in relationships and a candlelight vigil. \nArtwork related to the subject of domestic violence is also on display around town and in Indianapolis.\nA display explaining what Middle Way House is, titled, "What can you do about domestic violence?" is currently being shown in City Hall.\nSince Oct. 13, Monroe County Library has featured children's art expressing their views about domestic violence. The exhibit will continue through Oct. 31. \nThe Indianapolis Art Center is displaying artwork done by children at the Rise!, an apartment complex for 28 single women and their families who have experienced domestic abuse. The artwork consists of a brick wall and plaster molds of children's hands. The hands are either in a fist, to break down the walls of domestic violence, or in an open hand, to reach out to those in need. \nMiddle Way House has lent a helping hand since 1971, when it was started by a group of students concerned about recreational drug use, said Executive Director Toby Strout. \nThe Middle Way House's 24-hour crisis line still exists, and the shelter has expanded to have a venereal disease clinic. Middle Way House refined its focus in 1981 to helping battered women after businesses such as Planned Parenthood came to Bloomington. \nTo help women and children in need, Middle Way House not only consoles those in emergency situations, but also has a shelter, offers support groups, provides legal advice, accompanies women to court, supplies jobs for women with little education or experience and houses families for up to two years while providing child care at the Rise! \nYouth program director at the Rise!, Monte Simonton, has worked with children for the past four years.\n"With children, that's where you can have the biggest influence," Simonton said. "When it comes to violence, you can break the cycle."\nThe showing of "Tough Guise" at Take Back the Night and its discussion session afterward aim to teach young men about how to behave in relationships and how to handle their anger. \nSenior Aran Mordoh, equality officer for FMLA, agrees with bringing men into the discussion and believes events such as this can make a difference.\n"This isn't just a women's issue," Mordoh said. "We need to teach our sons that rape is wrong, not just teach our daughters to carry pepper spray in their purses."\nThe groups leading the events for DVAM in Bloomington hope the combined efforts of men and women will help lower the staggering numbers of domestic violence each year.\n"One in four women will experience some kind of abuse in their lifetime," said Sara Huntington, outreach coordinator for Middle Way House. "It happens at every socio-economic level, every race, every creed, all around the world."\nWith help from the United Way, nonprofit organizations like Middle Way House can continue helping those in need and raising awareness for those who believe domestic violence isn't a problem. \n"(Domestic violence has) been a taboo, a hidden issue for years," Huntington said. "People are uncomfortable talking about it and want to believe it's not really going on. This is a way of talking about it and getting it out in the open."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsey Hubbard at lnhubbar@indiana.edu.