COOS BAY — It’s a common — yet often taboo — issue.

But one former social worker and current high school counselor said she thought it was important for people to know about domestic violence.

Heidi Roe took over a class at Southwestern Oregon Community College that informs people about the issue. Her first class was last fall, but there is another one starting at 6 p.m. on April 3. There will be 10 classes once a week for 10 weeks.

The classes are open to anyone in high school or older and can be completed for college credit. Roe said she advises those younger than high school juniors of the graphic nature of the class.

Connie Monahan, domestic violence advocate and volunteer coordinator with the Women’s Safety and Resource Center, said the classes offered more than basic information. The WSRC works with Roe to offer the course.

“It’s one of those issues that nobody wants to hear about,” Monahan said.

The class covers WSRC agency philosophy, policies, procedures, animal abuse, homeless and domestic violence shelters, anti-oppression, same sex oppression training, anti-racism training, cross cultural communications and more.

Monahan said many people don’t understand why the one being abused returns to their abuser. It typically takes seven instances of leaving an abusive situation and returning before the abused escapes for good, she said.

One of the ways students learn about abuse is through playing a game to help them understand the dynamics of an abusive relationship.

“There are realistic outcomes of choices the victim will make (in the game),” she said.

Monahan said it was especially good for the younger crowd.

“The high school students are learning so much understanding and compassion,” she said.

She said she wanted to spread the word even more.

“Our goal is to try to educate the community,” she said. “Some start to get a glimmer of ‘Wow, this behavior isn’t healthy in life.'”

Kids take the class

Brittany Williamson, a 12th-grader at North Bend High School, took the course last fall for credit because she plans on pursuing a career in the medical field and knew she’d face it.

“I liked the class,” she said. “It educated me a lot more on the issues of domestic violence, especially around town.”

Williamson said one of the things she found interesting was people who were being abused often wouldn’t leave because of a pet.

Luckily, there are people in the county who are willing to foster pets, Roe said.

“Physical abuse is not always necessarily happening to the victim,” Roe said.

Williamson said she was also surprised to learn about how abusers could control someone by hiding their car keys, credit cards or other items.

Another hot topic was cyber-bullying, Roe said.

“It’s such an open exchange of information, it’s easy for things to spiral out of control,” Roe said. “It affects daily life in high school.”

Williamson said things such as Facebook made it easier for people to harass each other because they have access to more information.

“You can post on Facebook where you are,” she said.

Roe said another topic was “rape culture,” in which many people view women as objects. She said they are usually the ones abused, but it also occurs to men.

Sean Long, a junior at North Bend High School, said he also enjoyed the class. Long said he took the class because he wants to be in law enforcement.

“I know I’ll have to deal with it on a daily basis,” Long said. “It’s sad, but it’s a fact.”

He said one of the things that stood out to him about the class was when a police officer spoke to them about 380 domestic violence cases he had to handle.

“That opened my eyes to what goes on and how things really work,” he said.

He also said he appreciated how the class was taught.

“I really like how the class didn’t sugarcoat anything,” Long said. “People wanted to realize what goes on around us.”