The 5th Annual Dodge for Love dodge ball tournament took place the evening of January 31st. A night filled with homemade T-shirts, whizzing dodge balls, and an upbeat mix to set the tone, this is the only time you will ever see wizards launching balls at superheroes or at the Ball-timore County Police Department. The Hittin’ Hippies took home the prize, beating Slam Dodge in the final match. The Super Smash Brothers won most creative costume in colorfully decorated cardboard cars, while the referees brought a nice twist on the traditional black and white uniform with brilliant coral shirts. The Class of 2015 also added the Dodge for Love participation banner to their section of the New Gym.

I have competed in Dodge for Love for three years now, and this year was no exception to the amazing time I have had each year. While a victory has not necessarily in the cards for my team Who Let the Dodge Out?, we had a blast playing dodge ball and cheering on our friends (so long as we were not facing off on the court).

The competition, however, is not just for the fun and exercise. This year over $6,000 was raised for the One Love Foundation, which brings us to the heart of the night: “Always Remember to Never Forget.”

Yeardley Reynolds Love, Class of 2006, was weeks away from graduating from the University of Virginia when she was murdered by her ex-boyfriend. Yeardley lived a remarkable life and inspired many who met her. Yet what is so unsettling about her death is how normal she was: she participated in many service opportunities, tore up the lacrosse and field hockey fields, and shared inexhaustible laughter with those around her. Not to mention she wore the same blue dress and walked in the same saddles as NDP girls past, present, and future.

The One Love Foundation, named for the number on her jersey and her last name, strives to raise awareness for relationship violence. The statistics are terrifying: one in three women will experience relationship violence in her lifetime. One in three.

What the foundation believes is the best way to combat relationship violence is with education and awareness; something anyone can partake in. Making a stand against domestic violence does not require much. Whether by proudly displaying a One Love bumper sticker, competing in a dodge ball tournament with your friends, or even starting a conversation, you can help fight the crime that will terrorize one in three women. Hopefully one day soon, those numbers will drop dramatically and even disappear. For now, we must stand up and hold each other, our nation, our world accountable for the protection of our fellow human beings.

And it can all start with a simple playground game.