Students from the law enforcement class presented their videos over domestic violence Nov. 4 and 5th for National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. They learned about the different types of domestic violence and how to look out for them. 

“This was the first time my students have done this PSA activity to raise awareness for domestic violence,” teacher Paige Ridge said. “Hopefully our lesson will help them start to understand the dynamics of these complicated relationships and issues and help them to be more effective in their future career.”

Students had to create a public service announcement with their videos. The videos were planned to raise awareness on specific areas of the subject.

“I think it’s really helpful for people,” junior Kiley Wilson said. “Talking about it and making videos shows people what they need to look out for and how to help other people who are going through it.”

According to Ridge, domestic violence is a topic in which students who go into law enforcement will face. Statistics show that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men are victims of severe physical violence by their partner in their lifetime. Women who are 18-24 are most commonly abused by their partner.

“The statistics don’t lie, yet we often don’t talk about it, which leads to abusers being able to continue to harm their victims,” Ridge said. ”We know young women are especially at risk. I have already had students who have told me tales of the domestic violence they have seen in their own families and the effects that seeing that abuse has had on them.”