Nationally

At the heart of Alpha Chi Omega is our commitment to community involvement. Our dedication to our national philanthropy, Domestic Violence Awareness, is evident in each sister’s compassion and commitment to this cause. 

Locally

Alpha Chi Omega Epsilon Phi supports our local Atlanta Domestic Violence Shelter, Partners Against Domestic Violence (PADV). This shelter provides survivors with protection, resources, and assistance no matter what they may be facing. 

TW: Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence

Did you know? 

• One in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime.

• On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men.

• One in 5 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. 

• One in 7 women and 1 in 18 men have been stalked by an intimate partner during their lifetime to the point in which they felt very fearful or believed that they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed.

• On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.

• Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime.

• Women between the ages of 18-24 are most commonly abused by an intimate partner.

Alpha Chi Omega raises money for Domestic Violence Awareness and the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation, as well as our local shelter, Partners Against Domestic Violence. However, we also dedicate our efforts to simply raising awareness of the sexual assault, harassment, and abuse that happens around us every day, and doing all that we can to prevent it here and now. We do so throughout our campus and community in the following ways:

Denim Day

Denim Day is a day to show support for survivors of sexual violence and victim blaming. It is recognized in honor of a rape conviction that was overturned by the Italian Supreme Court. They overturned her case because she was wearing tight jeans. Because she was wearing these jeans, the justices deemed she must have helped the perpetrator remove her jeans, implying consent. The next day after the ruling, women in the Italian Parliament came to work in jeans to stand in solidarity with the victim. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has been a symbol to protest against the victim blaming attitudes surrounding sexual violence. 

Domestic Violence Awareness Week

Nationally, Alpha Chi Omega holds Domestic Violence Awareness Week. This week takes place every October and is dedicated to raising awareness of domestic violence, especially across college campuses. By discussing this issue in a variety of light-hearted ways, such as donut talk, we  remove the fear and discomfort that is so often associated with this frequently uncomfortable topic. In addition to tabling and a variety of events to this effect, we also raise money for DVA, the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation, and our own local Atlanta shelter, Partners Against Domestic Violence (PADV) through a benefit concert and bake sale.

Donut Let Love Hurt

To acknowledge Domestic Violence Awareness Month, our chapter hosts a healthy relationships talk at our house. The event is open to everyone on campus and features a speaker from the Women's Resource Center who presents on recognizing, creating, and maintaining healthy relationships, as well as Krispy Kreme donuts.

Healthy Relationships Week

While Domestic Violence Awareness Week is our primary philanthropic focus during the fall semester, each spring Alpha Chi Omega participates in Healthy Relationships Week. Throughout the week of Valentine's Day, our sisters spread the message that relationships should be healthy, loving, caring, and kind, whether they are romantic or not. Even our friendships should uplift us at all times, so what better way to once again raise money and awareness for DVA than together?

Let's Taco Bout It

Around Spring Break each spring semester, we hold a Taco Dinner Fundraiser in our chapter room. Members are encouraged to bring friends, peers, or even strangers to talk about DVA and its impact in a casual, yet no less impactful, way. Students from all over campus enjoy visiting our house to socialize, raise money for our cause, hear stories from survivors, watch performances by our sisters, and eat yummy tacos!

DVA DASH

Epsilon Phi has debuted a new DVA Awareness event in the fall semester. We host a race competition in which AXOs and friends from across campus team up and race in a relay around Peter’s Parking Deck. The catch- everyone wears something other than tennis shoes! This event brings the Georgia Tech community together for a friendly competition, but more importantly to normalize the conversation around domestic and sexual violence.

Volunteering

Our chapter recognizes the value of not only donating to causes, but actively participating in and developing relationships with people in order to make a difference. This is the idea behind our increased involvement at our local Atlanta shelter, PADV. Oftentimes it is more meaningful and impactful to contribute the skills we have where we are needed than it is to blindly sign a check. That is why our members contribute by volunteering at the PADV daycare and clothing boutique and writing Valentine's Day cards for survivors and their children. We look forward to continuing to support PADV in in the future.