Dozens of students, staff, and community members gathered at Stony Brook University on October 29 for the annual “Take a Stand/Walk With Me” march. The event, which took place during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, aimed to raise awareness about relationship and domestic violence.
The Spirit of Stony Brook marching band, dance team, and mascot Wolfie led the group as participants carried handmade signs with messages such as “Love Shouldn’t Hurt” and “Seawolves Break the Silence.” Chants calling for an end to violence were heard across the Student Activities Center (SAC) Plaza.
Christine Szaraz, associate director of the Center for Prevention and Outreach (CPO) and survivor advocate, addressed those in attendance. “We want people to understand what violence looks like — verbal, physical, emotional, sexual,” Szaraz said. “We’re here to say, ‘Not here, not okay.’ Violence thrives in silence… we’re making a lot of noize and bringing it out of the shadows.”
Before the march began, several campus and community organizations set up tables on SAC Plaza. Groups such as CPO, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Planned Parenthood, ECLI Vibes, and Healthier U provided information about prevention resources and support for survivors. Students also assembled purple care packages.
Szaraz highlighted that between 20% to 30% of college students experience some form of relationship violence. She added: “Over half of college students say they wouldn’t know how to recognize it or how to help a friend. It’s not just a one-day-a-year thing, bringing awareness to these issues.”
Richard Gatteau, vice president for Student Affairs at Stony Brook University, spoke about the university’s approach: “At Stony Brook, you are not alone,” Gatteau told the crowd. “Domestic violence has no place in our community. Ending it requires all of us, our students, faculty, and staff, working together to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and stand in solidarity with survivors.”
Amanda Zhao is a senior nursing student who serves as CPO’s VIPRE student assistant/peer educator. She encouraged her peers to continue discussing these topics after the event: “Having educational workshops like One Love is awesome,” Zhao said. “What is even more awesome is that that’s not the only resource and program that we offer to students.”
As participants marched through campus chanting calls for change—“Seawolves, break the silence! We can end the violence!”—Szaraz reflected on nearly two decades of this tradition: “This march has been happening for almost 20 years,” she said. “And my favorite part every year is when the drummers lead us to represent that we will not be silent.”
Stony Brook University offers various on-campus resources for those affected by sexual or domestic violence through its Center for Prevention and Outreach (CPO), Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), SANE Center services via Survivor Advocate contact information, Title IX office assistance both online or by phone at 631-632-6280; emergency help is available from University Police Department at (631) 632-3333 or extension 333 from campus phones.
Off-campus resources include ECLI-VIBES at (631) 360-3606; Long Island Against Domestic Violence at (631) 666-8833; National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE; National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233; as well as organizations like One Love Foundation , National Sexual Violence Resource Center , and National Resource Center on Domestic Violence .
