Deciding to break the silence was the outcome at a campus discussion on domestic and dating violence Wednesday.

The Alpha Kappa Psi sorority at the University of Iowa conducted the lunch and learn panel to mark the end of the Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

“It’s important for a community to talk about domestic violence and why it happens and what happens,” said Kristie Doser, executive director at Domestic Violence Intervention Program and a panelist at the event.

Rachel Langholz, the director of service for Alpha Kappa Psi, said the event is an effort to raise donations for the Domestic Violence Intervention Program shelter and increase awareness on domestic and dating violence.

The panelists included Doser, Sara Feldman, compliance coordinator of the UI Office of Sexual Misconduct Response Coordinator, Attorney Brian Johnson of Jacobsen, Johnson, and Wiezorek PLC, Sgt. Brad Kunkel at the Johnson County Sherriff’s Office and Officer Alton Poole of the UI Department of Public Safety.

The event’s discussion included identifying using methods to help domestic and dating abuse victims, the resources available for victims, and the ways to identify domestic and dating violence.

The panelists agreed the first step in helping abuse survivors is to provide them with the support they need — such as through the Domestic Violence Intervention Program shelter.

Doser said the Domestic Violence Intervention Program helps domestic abuse survivors by providing them with emergency shelters, advocacy services, counseling, and support groups.

“We start from a space of being a free, confidential location that someone can call, or meet with an advocate, just to talk about what’s happening,” she said.

Feldman said the UI Office of Sexual Misconduct Response Coordinator would also help with the accommodations of students if they needed it.

“If someone doesn’t feel safe in their residence hall, we can work with [UI housing] to change the contact and help them move, or if you need to get out of class and you’re past the deadline,” she said. “Those are things that the institution is obligated to provide.”

According to a 2015 data from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, an average of 20 people in the United States are physically abused by their intimate partners every minute.

Corinne Peek-Asa, a professor at the UI College of Public Health, said domestic violence leaves severe physical and psychological effects on the survivors. She said intervention programs should be focused more on the perpetrators and that she would like to see more effective court action towards abusers.