One out of five college students will be involved in an abusive relationship, either as a victim or a perpetrator, before he or she graduates.

Battering is the major cause of injury to women -- exceeding rapes, muggings and even auto accidents.

The preceeding staggering statistic from the Women's Resource Center, 140 W. Nittany Ave., applies to all women -- including Penn State students.

"It really does happen and no woman is invulnerable to it," said Melissa Hardoby, Womyn's Concerns treasurer.

"I was at an apartment party where a man smashed an aquarium and then proceeded to attack his girlfriend, and everyone watched," she said. After calling the police, Hardoby offered to take the woman to the hospital, but she refused and instead became angry at Hardoby for intervening.

"It's considered normal for men to abuse women and that's unacceptable," she said.

Hardoby said abusive behavior can range from verbal assault such as calling a woman "bitch" to an actual act of physical violence like a punch in the jaw.

Kim (not her real name) was involved in a physically abusive relationship in high school. Her boyfriend was an athlete at her school and would often blame Kim for his losses in his sport.

"He gave me a black eye and I knew I had to get out. Now I am a very cautious dater, and I know it wasn't my fault," Kim said.

Julie Raulli, community education coordinator for the Women's Resource Center, called Kim's situation one of power and control.

The abusive male is motivated by the need to control another person, Raulli said, adding that the control takes many forms. Humiliation and intimidation, when used specifically to gain power over another individual, are types of abuse, she said.

Intimidation by using looks, gestures or destructive behavior also constitutes abuse. An educational video available at the Women's Resource Center, Heart on a Chain, shows that even driving too fast to scare a date is abusive behavior.

Sexual abuse, which usually involves forced intercourse, can extend to more than just that.

"Hitting a woman on the sexual parts of her body like her chest or vaginal area is sexual abuse," Raulli said.

While victims in violent situations are not always female, 95 percent of all perpetrators are male, Raulli said. The 5 percent of perpetrators who are female are usually involved in a lesbian or elderly relationship, she added.

The first step in dealing with an abusive relationship is recognizing and labeling it as abuse. Hardoby called this step the hardest and most important.

She said the emotional scars experienced by the survivor of dating violence, or any type of violence, are devastating.

"It destroys an individual's self esteem and confidence," Hardoby said, adding that all is not lost.

"Don't handle it on your own --find someone you trust completely and seek help," she said.

The Women's Resource Center provides a 24-hour hotline staffed by trained volunteers to provide support and information for the survivors of violent relationships. The center also offers counseling and support groups.