WKU students in women studies class organize domestic violence awareness event

Fort Lauderdale, Fla., freshman Christina Medero read aloud “Disney Princess” a poem during the Domestic Violence and Racism Awareness Jam. The event took place at Greener Groundz. The night was also accompanied by music, slam poetry and an open mic opportunity.

Michael McKay

A handful of WOMN 200 students are sitting and chatting in the center of Greener Groundz Irish Pub waiting for the rest of their members. Bowling Green freshman Bri Phillips assembled the group together tonight because of an idea they had in class.

“We were assigned, a topic you might say, and we picked domestic violence,” Phillips said. “We teamed up with the group that did racism and we decided to have an awareness night.”

Phillips, her classmates, and friends read statistics on domestic violence in between poetry readings and band performances.

Phillips said they chose to have the event at Greener Groundz because their professor, Molly Kerby, is an owner.

Kerby said she didn’t suggest the group meet there.

“I didn’t offer it up,” Kerby said. “It’s kind of a conflict of interest.”

She said they found an empty date and booked the event earlier in the semester.

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., freshman Kristina Medero performed “Picasso my face,” a poem she wrote for a domestic violence event in Florida.

Medero said she got the idea for the poem while watching the movie Fight Club.

“I didn’t want to be the victim, because a lot of time women are portrayed as a victim in domestic violence,” Medero said.

Medero wrote the poem from the perspective of a psychologically abusive woman.

“The fact is men are abused too, and it goes unreported, and when they are affected by it there aren’t a lot of places where they can talk about it.”

The group hopes to have another event in the spring if the interest is there.