Moon Township, Pa. – The Robert Morris University volleyball team announces that it will host Dating & Domestic Awareness Night on Friday, Oct. 11 at 7:00 p.m. in its Northeast Conference (NEC) match against Fairleigh Dickinson at the UPMC Events Center.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) and Robert Morris is raising awareness through the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence's (NRDV) #1Thing campaign, which unites our individual voices while highlighting the power of collective action. The Colonials will wear t-shirts during warm-ups that feature the caption "Action + Awareness = Social Change", raffle off baskets from various generous donors, and collect donations through a toiletry drive with all items being donated to the Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh.
"Domestic violence awareness and the #1Thing campaign is a very important topic that needs to be addressed," said head coach Dale Starr. "We are pleased to be able to bring awareness to this important issue with this match dedicated to educating and helping to prevent domestic violence and abuse."
Leading up to Oct. 11, RMU will bring attention to the cause through its social media platforms and encourage fans to answer questions about what love means to them, and the #1Thing they can do to end dating and domestic violence. The Colonials will welcome the Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR), SHARP, RMU Counseling Center, and the RMU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) to the match that evening.
Fans are encouraged to wear purple and enter a raffle for a chance to win prizes that include Colonial basketball tickets, a commemorative piece of the Charles L. Sewall Center court, RMU and local sports gear, and a Pamper Me basket.
"We hope to have a great crowd on October 11 and bring a better understanding of this problem," added Starr. "We want to usher in solutions so that we can eliminate this problem altogether. Thank you in advance for helping us to educate and support the victims of domestic violence. We hope to see you at the UPMC Events Center on October 11!"
According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in four women and one in nine men have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. This month, join the Colonials as we mourn for those whose lives were taken by domestic violence, celebrate the tremendous progress victim advocates have made over the years, and connect with one another with a true sense of unity to end domestic violence.
For more information on the event, please contact Colonials volleyball assistant coach Danny Doherty at doherty@rmu.edu.
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