Throughout October ACCESS will sponsor activities throughout Ames to increase awareness of domestic violence.

This is the Assault Care Center Extending Shelter and Support’s first year coordinating public events for this cause.

“I think it’s ACCESS’s goal to get our message out there,” said Sharleen Holthaus, Shelter Advocate for the ACCESS shelter.

As part of getting their message of awareness out, ACCESS has placed displays called “Silhouettes and Stories” around Story county. These displays feature stories from survivors of domestic violence.

Displays can be found at Ames High School, the Ames Public Library and North Grand Mall throughout October.

The month’s activities will wrap up with a shoe display at the Memorial Union on Oct. 22.

The display will include 141 pairs of shoes, each representing a victim of domestic abuse in Iowa over the last year.

The shoes will then be featured on Main Street the last weekend in October.

Domestic violence has been defined by ACCESS as violence or physical abuse toward one’s spouse or domestic partner. This includes violence perpetrated against men as well as women.

“I always thought that men were the perpetrators of domestic violence,” said Jenni Welder, sophomore in pre-advertising. “You only hear of it happening to women.”

With this month’s activities ACCESS hopes to alleviate myths like this. “It does happen, although it’s not as prevalent,” Holthaus said.