Light Up the Night will start in the Pegasus Ballroom of the Student Union at 6 p.m. The event, which is open to the public, is held annually to 鈥渂reak the silence and end the violence鈥� of those who have lost their lives due to intimate partner violence. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

At Light Up the Night, survivors will share their stories to raise awareness, and resources will be shared for those involved in a violent relationship.

鈥淲e hope that participants will understand what dating violence is and how they can identify it, and understand the impact that it can have on individuals and the communities,鈥� said Christine Mouton, the director of 麻豆原创 Victim Services.

Light Up the Night also will remember fellow Knights who were needlessly lost through a memorial called an Empty Place at the Table. The symbolic observance references a seat left empty due to the effects of intimate partner violence.

鈥淭his year, as part of our Empty Place at the Table memorial, we will collectively recognize the deceased Pulse victims at one of the place settings,鈥� Mouton said.

If you or someone you know is suffering from intimate partner abuse or domestic violence, contact 麻豆原创 Victim Services at 407-823-2425 or call your local law enforcement agency.

Light Up the Night is held each October as an observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The event, put on by 麻豆原创 Victim Services, will begin at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, in the Pegasus Ballroom of the Student Union. It is open to the public.

Attendees will hear from a 麻豆原创 student and alumna who are survivors of domestic violence, as well as from a local judge, deputy and advocate who all work with incidents of intimate partner violence.

A presentation called 鈥淎n Empty Place at the Table鈥� will illuminate the deadly effects of abuse and memorialize domestic violence victims with ties to 麻豆原创.

Campus and community organizations that serve victims of domestic abuse also will table at the event to answer questions and provide resources.

Throughout the month of October, students, faculty, staff and members of the community can contribute to the Clothesline Project, a national effort give survivors of domestic abuse an opportunity to express their emotions by decorating a t-shirt.

T-shirts can be painted and decorated to speak out against domestic violence from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays during Market Day. The shirts will be hung inside the Student Union throughout October.

To learn more about 麻豆原创 Victim Services, visit .

If you鈥檝e been involved in intimate partner violence and would like to speak with an advocate, you can reach one 24/7 by calling 407-823-1200.

Survivors will share their personal stories and incoming State Attorney Jeff Ashton will give a commemoration speech during the “Light Up the Night” ceremony, which will be from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Pegasus Ballroom of the Student Union.

Organized by 麻豆原创 Victim Services, the event also will highlight resources available on campus and in the community to help those impacted by intimate partner violence.

Victim Services provides free, confidential services to 麻豆原创 students, faculty and staff members. Advocates are available 24 hours a day to assist victims by phone or respond to crime scenes. Advocates can provide crisis counseling and emotional support, along with referrals to other on- and off-campus resources. They also help victims make informed decisions about what is best for them in the judicial process. To reach a victim advocate, call 407-823-1200.