Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence/Sexual Assault
NOT WOKE, NOT DEI, and certainly NOT DIVISIVE
It’s Socio Logic! As a recently retired college sociologist and associate professor, you might assume that I am a left-leaning liberal. However, my prior professional life as a corporate executive made me somewhat right-of-center on most social issues. Yet many people in our current political and social spectrum are uncomfortable discussing these egregious issues: “this does not happen in our neighborhood!” The “cop shows” highlighting the male in the “wife-beater t-shirts” being arrested for attacking a woman does not help raise awareness that this is a real problem in every socio-economic community,
For many years, I attempted to raise funds for domestic violence awareness programs for my school and local agencies. Male (and surprisingly some female) business leaders did not want to be a sponsor for fear of alienating their upscale male clients. Many of my students, over 3000 from my 17 years of teaching, did not realize the scope of the problem until I spent a good two weeks discussing gender and violence.
Some students revealed violent relationship issues with either themselves or family members. At least 30 percent (females and males) attested to first-hand knowledge of family and/or dating violence. Some were vocal in class and others felt more comfortable writing to me in confidence. I was able to refer many to local social service agencies dedicated to helping resolve very personal and dangerous situations.
It is extremely disappointing that education leaders in the state recently removed sociology from the core curriculum requirement to graduate. Yes, we discuss race, gender, and diversity, but we also discuss education, health care, and above all, culture! I used to teach six or seven courses each semester with nursing and education majors being the most involved and dedicated students. I can’t imagine learning about how to adapt to so many cultures would be considered “woke.” This trend is prevalent in most colleges and universities in Florida and in many “red state” education departments throughout the country.
We have an opportunity to make a difference in how we talk to each other and how we handle differences in our personal relationships. There are many celebrities and those in public service who are in the news with their violence-related issues, but the problems are within the communities where we live and work. Our youth need guidance and direction to know what acceptable behavior is when dealing with their future partners in life. Training future professionals to change the narratives from what these young men and women may see as normal in their own families and on social media should be a pedagogical priority, not a divisive issue!
Lee H. Rosen
Author: The Five, Narratives of Victims and Survivors
Sociologic Narratives Inc.
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit Florida corporation
M.A. /M.L.A., University of South Florida
Associate Professor, Retired/College of Central Florida, Ocala