Written by Cate Tanner | Archived Nov. 10, 2020

The Women’s Resource and Action Center (WRAC) will be hosting a brown bag event Oct. 18 from noon to 1 p.m. discussing healthy and unhealthy relationships. The event will be held in Kirby Student Center 268, located within the Multicultural Center.

Sara Minder, a political science and women, gender and sexuality studies double major, coordinated the event. Minder has been involved with WRAC for two years and is currently an intern there.

“I feel like there's just not a lot of awareness among college students on the nature of healthy vs. unhealthy relationships, especially since many of us are new to dating or have only been dating like a few years,” Minder said. “A lot of times it's emotional, more subtle things like controlling behavior and stuff that isn't so obvious all the time.”

Jill Hinners, Community Engagement Coordinator for the Center Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse (CASDA), will be speaking at the event. CASDA is a private, nonprofit organization that aims to serve victims and survivors of domestic and sexual abuse and provide comprehensive care and refuge.

Hinners says that everyone should consider educating themselves on what is and is not healthy in a relationship, even if it does not seem applicable or relevant.

“I've worked at CASDA for 5 years now, and I can tell you that every day I have an eye-opening experience on the job here,” Hinners said. “I would say that as a young adult, you may think to yourself, and I think I was in this situation, oh these issues don't really apply to me... it may not feel relevant, but it's definitely relevant.”

CASDA is located in Superior, Wisconsin, with an outreach office in Washburn, Wisconsin. According to Hinners, the nonprofit has a 10-bedroom emergency shelter, a variety of outreach programs and a 24-hour help line. While the emergency shelter is limited to female-identifying individuals and children who are fleeing violent situations, the rest of CASDA’s services are inclusive.

“We recognize that victims of domestic violence come in all genders and sexes and from every background,” Hinners said.

The event will discuss warning signs in potentially unhealthy relationships and how and when to seek help.

“It's free, it's an interesting topic, and I think it's important to be educated on the subject, especially as young people,” Minder says.

More information on CASDA can be found here.