Did you know that one in three women and one in four men experience domestic violence in some form? Domestic violence is an extremely important discussion point, that involves the abuse of a spouse or a significant other and is not uncommon in our community. To spread awareness about domestic violence the Intimate Partner Conflict Awareness and Action (IPCAA) club was created at Old Saybrook High School. Not only does this club aim to spread awareness about domestic violence, it also strives to foster discussion. Enveloped in their core goal of spreading awareness, the IPCAA club at OSHS seeks to educate people on manners to find help safely if in an abusive environment.
Senior Cassie Garcia, a member of IPCAA, appreciates the way that the club emphasizes discussion and awareness, stating, “I feel like this [issue] is such an important thing to talk about, because the more we talk about it, the more we encourage and normalize seeking help rather than staying quiet.”
This club was originally created by OSHS Senior Sasha Dziebel with a focus on domestic violence education and prevention. Dziebel chose to create this club because she believed that people underestimate how common domestic violence is in our community. Dziebel wanted to start a club, to not only spread awareness about domestic violence but to also take action on it. Dziebel says that, “Domestic violence is a devastating subject because it affects people so privately, and it’s hard to tell when people are dealing with it.” Furthermore, to many, domestic violence can be similar to “little tiny cracks to a piece of glass that no one can see until it explodes”. With the immense effect of domestic violence as well as Dziebel’s desire to spread awareness about it, she began the IPCAA club at OSHS.
The club has now blossomed into a group of students who take action for awareness. Since the club started last year, they have hosted bake sales and donation drives to benefit and give materials to local shelters. Currently the club is continuing on this route, focusing on helping women’s shelters in the area, as the recent cuts to SNAP benefits has left many women with no income. On November 15th the IPCAA is planning to hold a movie night at Parks and Recreation, in which participants will watch “It Ends With Us”, a film which explores the topic of domestic violence.After, they will hold a discussion regarding events depicted in the movie and ways that participants could help those in similar situations.
Cassie Garcia states that though “it can be hard to picture yourself or someone close to you being in a situation where there is domestic violence, by educating yourself and others, you are ultimately protecting them, which is why I encourage everyone to join.” Learning about domestic violence and the large effects that it can have on people’s lives, ultimately are important to have understanding and the resources to deal with domestic violence. The IPCAA club at OSHS is a smaller club, but member Jayden Kujawski feels that this is something that makes the club better. Furthermore, Kujawski highlights the sense of community as a defining aspect of this club. “I love how close we all are, especially because it’s small, and how much we get to give back to the community.” If you are interested in the message of this club, or in the events and fundraisers that this club will hold, please talk to Sasha Dziebel, Jayden Kujawski, or other members of this club to spread awareness about domestic violence.
