Holding a paper speech bubble next to his mouth, Alexander Vessels made a pledge to fight domestic violence. So did Kappa Phi Lambda President Kelly Chiu and more than 20 other participants in Becky Lee’s domestic violence workshop Wednesday.

Kappa Phi Lambda sponsored Lee’s appearance at Syracuse University as a part of Asian Awareness Week.

‘I pledge to fight domestic violence by stepping in if I see it happening,’ one bubble said.

Another read, ‘I pledge to fight domestic violence so the world can be safe.’

‘I actually have a bubble in my Facebook profile,’ said Chiu, a junior finance and accounting major. ‘I think it’s really great when I see other people participating in the campaign.’

These simple pledges to get involved summed up the hour-long interactive lecture with Lee, the second runner-up on the Cook Islands season of ‘Survivor.’ Lee educated students about domestic violence and discussed being an Asian-American in the media and her portrayal on reality television.

The presentation began more than 10 minutes later than scheduled due to a last-minute room change. But the more intimate setting in Eggers Hall fostered a conversational atmosphere with Lee and those in attendance.

‘Even though I had read about the ‘Survivor’ thing going on, I was more focused on the subject,’ said Vessels, a junior communication and rhetorical studies major. ‘I feel that when you get certain status like that (of a reality television star), it gives you a front to speak on something. So, realizing that this was an issue, she used her exposure and status on ‘Survivor’ to bring awareness to domestic violence.’

Before the presentation, an audience member asked for a story from ‘Survivor.’ For Lee’s season, creators made the decision to split up the 20 contestants into four tribes based on race and ethnicity.

Lee, a Korean-American, said the contestants were told the night before about how the tribes were to be divided. She said she was shocked at first, thinking that CBS was using this racial dynamic to increase ratings.

Lee said she had no intention of becoming an actor when she was recruited to participate. She went on the show to dispel the Asian stereotype on television and to bring more light to the cause of domestic violence. Before the show, Lee worked as a domestic violence attorney in Washington, D.C.

‘People ask where my passion is coming from, expecting a personal story,’ Lee said. ‘I have none. I’ve personally seen what domestic violence can do, and I can’t sit still.’

Lee cited numerous statistics during her presentation: a woman is assaulted or beaten every nine seconds, at least 4 million women are assaulted each year and domestic violence is the number one reason why women go to the emergency room. The statistic for Asian-Americans is higher than the national statistics, with 41 to 60 percent of Asian-American women experiencing some type of domestic violence.

But she was also very clear in saying that women are not the only victims of domestic violence – in 97 percent of reported cases, the woman is the victim.

‘It’s not just a women’s issue,’ she said directly to the men in the audience before the event. ‘Whether you’re here for the ‘Survivor’ piece or not, it’s a collaborative effort between women and men. I think it’s very important.’

Lee said acknowledging the existence of domestic violence is not enough. The next step is to stop the cycle.

‘It’s our role to say no,’ she said. ‘This is unacceptable, but it’s easier said than done.’

kmimamur@syr.edu

Published on November 12, 2008 at 12:00 pm