TRAM Purple Ribbon Scholarship

Existing initiatives dedicated to eradicating intimate partner violence have made meaningful progress by providing emergency shelters, hotlines, counseling, legal advocacy, and community education. However, I believe one of the greatest challenges that still exists is connecting survivors with these resources before they feel trapped or alone. Too often, people simply do not know where to find help or are afraid to ask for it. Through my own experiences, I have learned that making resources visible and accessible can be just as important as creating them. After losing one of my closest friends to suicide, I completed my Girl Scout Gold Award by designing and installing a suicide prevention and mental health awareness mural at my high school. I wanted the project to be more than a piece of artwork, so beneath the mural I created a permanent display of free resources that students could access for a variety of topics. Those resources included mental health services, suicide prevention, domestic violence, sexual assault, eating disorders, substance abuse, LGBTQ+ support, and crisis intervention. My goal was to remove barriers to finding help by placing trusted resources in a location where students walked every day. I realized that someone does not have to ask for help publicly to receive it. Sometimes all they need is the opportunity to quietly take the first step. Creating that project gave me a greater appreciation for the organizations already working to combat intimate partner violence. Shelters, advocacy groups, crisis centers, and national hotlines provide lifesaving services, but they can only help people who know they exist. My project taught me that education and awareness play a critical role in strengthening these initiatives by making survivors aware of the support available to them. As I pursue my degree in Homeland Security while continuing my education in emergency medical services, I plan to use my education to improve these efforts in several ways. First, I want to advocate for additional trauma informed training for firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics so they can better recognize the signs of abuse and respond with empathy rather than judgment. First responders are often among the first professionals to interact with survivors, and those interactions can influence whether someone feels safe enough to seek further assistance. Second, I hope to strengthen partnerships between emergency services and local victim advocacy organizations. Survivors should not only receive medical care but also leave an emergency with information about shelters, counseling services, legal assistance, and safety planning. Building stronger referral systems between first responders and community organizations can help ensure survivors receive long term support instead of only immediate care. My background has taught me that meaningful change happens when compassion is paired with action. Whether through my Gold Award project, my volunteer experience as an EMT, or my future career in public safety, I want to help create communities where survivors know they are believed, supported, and never alone. By using my education to improve awareness, strengthen collaboration, and promote trauma informed care, I hope to increase the impact of the initiatives already working every day to end intimate partner violence.