Two historically black fraternities on the Iowa State campus have joined forces to bring together speakers for a forum on domestic abuse.

The forum will take place at 7 tonight in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union. The Ames chapters of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and the Omega Psi Phi fraternity will be hosting the forum.

The speakers of the evening will be Lynette Hornung, a sexual assault awareness coordinator from the Women’s Center, Charidy Wright, volunteer and program coordinator for the YWCA, and Nancy Robinson, the coordinator of the batterer’s education program with the Richmond Center and the Department of Correctional Services.

“We are going to discuss domestic abuse and the different aspects of it. Also how and where [the public] can get assistance,” Hornung said.

Hornung said every 15 seconds a woman dies from domestic abuse. The issue does not strike a person until it happens to themselves or a friend, and it is very difficult for people to come forward when it is happening to them, she said.

Robinson said she hopes to discuss the batterer’s education program. Information given would pertain to how, for example, people use violence to control others’ behavior.

Thurlow Stenson, a member of Phi Beta Sigma and coordinator of the chapter’s Sigmas Against Domestic Abuse program, said the goal of the program is “to make people aware of the possibilities of domestic abuse. If there is any abuse how one can get out of the situation or find help.”

This program is in conjunction with other community service programs Omega Psi Phi is having during their founders’ week celebration which concludes this Saturday.

Leonard Bell, president of Phi Beta Sigma, said the program is part of the national SADA, Sigmas Against Domestic Abuse, social programs for awareness.

“I hope it accomplishes a greater awareness of domestic abuse, especially within the minority community,” Bell said. “I’m hoping to see a lot of people out for the discussion.”