Public Awareness
Shine The Light On Domestic Violence
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Purple is
the color chosen to help spread awareness of domestic violence,
so you might be seeing purple everywhere: purple ribbons, purple
clothing, and purple lights, to name a few. What good does
awareness do? Wear a purple ribbon and when someone asks why,
tell them:
- Nearly one in four women in the US reports experiencing violence by a current or former spouse or boyfriend at some point in her life.
- Almost half the women murdered in New York State are killed by their intimate partner.
- Help is available. Call 1-800-942-6906 for information and referral.
It’s likely that someone you know has been, or will be, a victim of domestic violence. It’s not always physical; it’s one person’s use of tactics to control another person in an intimate relationship. It can take the form of emotional, verbal, financial or sexual abuse. Domestic violence affects all of us – women, men, and children. Take a stand against domestic violence. For specific suggestions, see the second page of this flyer.
Everyone can do something.
Shine the Light on Domestic Violence
New Yorkers Connecting, One Light at a Time
The “Shine the Light on Domestic Violence” campaign was inspired by domestic violence service providers who have been using purple to promote awareness of domestic violence for years.
As the NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence helps turn the State purple for the fourth year, connections are being made - between programs, government, businesses, nonprofits and citizens.
This low or no-cost campaign has grown from several dozen
participants in 2008 to more than 270 businesses, nonprofits, and
individuals in 2010. From skyscrapers to bridges, storefronts to
shopping centers, purple lights illuminated the nights of
October. People wore purple clothing while police cars and buses
displayed purple magnetic ribbons.
Can you connect with someone to fight domestic violence? Bring
purple into your school or workplace. Spread the word and watch
it grow. Make a connection!
Help is Available
New York has a wide range of services to help. There are 24/7 confidential hotlines staffed with trained counselors available to speak with victims or their friends serving every county in the State. Many programs offer services for children, counseling, support groups, help with legal services or immigrant issues, training and educational services, help getting medical care, employment and social services, emergency transportation, and housing. You do not have to stay in a shelter to get help from a domestic violence program.
24/7 Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-942-6906 (English) 1-800-942-6908 (Spanish)
[Space for customization/localization]
For more information, please visit the NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence website or Facebook page.
Take One Purple Step and Get Connected!
You can make a difference and help reduce the number of people who are unsafe in their homes and relationships. You can help, no matter who you are.
Here are some purple steps you can take:
- Friend? Listen, support, and believe your friend. Don’t be an expert: be a friend, and get her to the experts! Your local or statewide hotlines are good resources.
- Employer? Provide
information. Consider implementing a domestic violence and the workplace
policy. Make a charitable commitment: local programs need
your support.
- Parent? Talk to your kids about respectful relationships. Observe your children’s relationships. Maintain a dialogue with your children. MODEL respectful relationships.
- Busy? Donate to your
local domestic violence program, to the NYS Coalition Against
Domestic Violence, or to a national organization.
- Wand to do Something? Find volunteer opportunities in your community. Hold a phone or other kind of drive to benefit a local program – many also need adult and children’s clothing, and house- hold goods. Educate yourself about the problem.
- Teenager of College
Student? Read the information your school may be giving
you on dating abuse. Don’t confuse love and stalking. No
one should ever make you feel afraid or controlled. Talk to
someone at your school, your parents, or a trusted adult if you
or a friend is in trouble.
- Employee and/or Union Member? Provide information. Host or sponsor an awareness event at your workplace. Domestic violence is a serious workplace issue.
- Faith Community? Become
known as a safe place. Faith leaders and members can address,
acknowledge, and condemn domestic violence in lectures,
discussion groups, and sermons. Educate the congregation. Speak
out. Lead by example. Offer space to nonprofits. Partner with
existing resources.
- Adult? Be a leader. Men can show by example that being strong does not mean being violent. Women can listen nonjudgmentally to their friends, mothers, and sisters. If someone tells you something that makes you concerned, or shows that she’s uncomfortable or scared, let her know you are worried for her. Listen and support her. She can ask questions confidentially, and get advice, at the New York State Domestic & Sexual Violence Hotline: 1-800-942-6906 (or 1-800-942-6908 in Spanish) 24/7.
- New Yorker? Be proud
– yours is the only state to have a government agency
dedicated to this issue. But being proud is not enough –
take steps to make ours the safest state in the union.
Everyone can connect to take one step to make our communities safer.
For more ideas, go to the OPDV website.
NYS Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline 1-800-942-6906
– 24/7 and Confidential
NYS Linea Contra la Violencia Domestica y Agresion Sexual
1-900-942-6908 – 24/7 y Confidential
To find the domestic violence program near you, go to the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence website or to the OPDV website.
