Women Escaping A Violent Environment set up a table full of cards, pamphlets and information about sexual assault and violence on Oct. 11.

Campus Violence Prevention Coordinator Tania Silva managed the table with two associates, Elissa Crandall and Dillion Dinwiddie. Next to the table was a giant chalk circle drawn on the ground, which they used illustrate the ‘cycle of violence’ that occurs to victims of abuse.

“The difference is with abusive relationships is it’ll move over into what we call the ‘tension-building’ or the ‘walking on eggshells’ and this is when one partner starts to feel like they have to be careful about they do, what they say around the other person because they don’t want to make them mad.” Silva said.

The WEAVE volunteers encouraged anyone to stop by and write or draw onto the ground about the steps in the cycle of violence or anything the individual felt like contributing.

Carlos Armenta, 19, undeclared major, drew ‘LOVE’ outside the circle in giant red letters and a heart in the middle.

“I didn’t even know what this was, ” Armenta said. “I just saw over there, ‘Come draw to help end violence’, and so I came to draw something positive, obviously.”

During the event, dozens of students, professors, and other individuals passed through the area, with many stopping by to draw something or to shake the hands of volunteers and thank WEAVE for everything they do.

Sociology Professor Rachael Browne brought her students to the event after class, saying she believes it’s important to find time to come to these events and have these conversations, especially as a survivor of sexual assault herself.

“This month is the awareness month for national domestic violence, and it’s a really unpleasant thing,” Browne said. “And I find that people like to steer away from talking about unpleasant things but that’s all the more reason why we do need to draw more awareness to them and talk about them because when you stay silent about them, nothing improves.”

“So I wanted my students to educate themselves a little bit more about it, become more comfortable engaging in the subject, and it’s something they can tell their friends about that they participated in,” Browne said.

The “Chalk It Up” event is just one of the many informative events that WEAVE does on college campuses in Sacramento, with more planned in the future.

“For the month of October, we have one more event happening: it’s gonna be Oct. 25 at 11 a.m. in the Recital Hall and it’s an ‘Intimate Partner Violence’ Workshop,” Silva said.

For more information about WEAVE, please visit: https://www.weaveinc.org. For more information about CRC’s confidential advocate, visit: https://www.crc.losrios.edu/services/weave.