Students of the University of Houston print their hands on canvas for Domestic Violence Awareness Day on Oct. 22, 2026 at Student Center South in Houston. | Gillian Wisniewski/The Cougar
The UH Dean of Students partnered with Shasta’s Cones & More on Oct. 22 at Student Center South to advocate for Domestic Violence Awareness Day, offering students an interactive way to show solidarity against abuse.
Students placed painted handprints on a shared sheet to physically represent the community’s strength in numbers in raising awareness for domestic violence.
Assistant Dean of Students Brandon Washington emphasized that domestic violence extends beyond physical harm and can be emotional, mental and financial control.
“It may not be happening around you, it may not be visible, but because domestic violence is not just physical, we hope the students are learning that even one person can support,” Washington said.
Domestic violence serves as an umbrella term covering the various patterns of behavior used to maintain power and control over an individual. It can happen among intimate partners, family members or cohabitants within a household.
For student leaders on campus, bringing visibility to non-physical forms of misconduct and support resources remains crucial. Engaging in these conversations allows students to recognize and understand these forms of abuse.
“It’s important to get the word out there about domestic violence, especially because we focus on sexual misconduct,” said recruitment and education officer psychology junior Esperanza Peña.
For students attending the event, bringing light to domestic violence and available campus support was the key takeaway.
By learning to spot early signs, students left the event better equipped to assist a peer in need and know where to guide them to appropriate resources.
“Domestic violence is an important topic that should get more recognition because there are a lot of people going through these abuses,” said accounting junior Brian Medrano. “Not many people may know the resources out there for them to exit these situations.”
As campus resources continue to shed light on relationship safety, student awareness continues to grow.
For many attendees, this event served as a reminder that the conversation is still evolving.
“Domestic violence is definitely an important topic and society is changing as the years go by,” said accounting junior Christian Cortez.
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