The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

Write for Us
Want your voice to be heard? Submit a letter to the editor, send us an op-ed pitch or check out our open positions for the chance to be published by the Daily Utah Chronicle.
@TheChrony
Print Issues
Write for Us
Want your voice to be heard? Submit a letter to the editor, send us an op-ed pitch or check out our open positions for the chance to be published by the Daily Utah Chronicle.
@TheChrony
Print Issues

Sticks and stones may…Language can perpetuate oppression

By Stephanie Glaittli

Our silence and complacency about violence is fostering its growth, Debra Daniels, director of the Women’s Resource Center, said at the Seeds of Violence lecture Oct. 17.

Daniels’ keynote address kicked off the center’s program to sponsor events throughout the week that increase awareness about violence in the community.

The community needs to start a dialogue about violence and acknowledge that it often comes in less obvious, but still harmful, forms, she said.

Daniels has worked as the assistant director of the YWCA of Salt Lake City and as director of client services at the Rape Recovery Center.

“We see violence in our lives on a day-to-day basis, and we can recognize it, but there are other times when we don’t recognize violence so readily,” Daniels said. “You must challenge how you look at violence.”

Violence can be found in the subtlest places, Daniels said, including in the language and words we use to communicate. Commonly used words can be filled with racial, sexual and ethnic discrimination that “strip humanity,” she said.

“Some people believe the dialogue about violence is overkill and that we take certain behaviors and language too seriously,” Daniels said. “They say it isn’t their battle, that they have to choose their battles…but they are choosing to allow oppression of individuals.”

Language is just another form of keeping people in their place and becomes another beating stick, she said.

People with social and economic privilege have a particular responsibility to stand up for those who feel invisible, she said.

Daniels said she believes everyone should “cast a broad net” to encompass all those affected by violence and to really listen to their stories because “it is hard to hate someone whose story you know,” she said.

“The lecture was a good experience,” Adelina Dover, a sophomore in communication, said. “She looked at violence in a way I never looked at violence.”

[email protected]

Leave a Comment

Comments (0)

The Daily Utah Chronicle welcomes comments from our community. However, the Daily Utah Chronicle reserves the right to accept or deny user comments. A comment may be denied or removed if any of its content meets one or more of the following criteria: obscenity, profanity, racism, sexism, or hateful content; threats or encouragement of violent or illegal behavior; excessively long, off-topic or repetitive content; the use of threatening language or personal attacks against Chronicle members; posts violating copyright or trademark law; and advertisement or promotion of products, services, entities or individuals. Users who habitually post comments that must be removed may be blocked from commenting. In the case of duplicate or near-identical comments by the same user, only the first submission will be accepted. This includes comments posted across multiple articles. You can read more about our comment policy at https://dailyutahchronicle.com/comment-faqs/.
All The Daily Utah Chronicle Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *