Each year for October I dye my hair purple. I am always asked why purple, and my answer always is: because it is the awareness color for domestic violence and this is domestic violence awareness month.
Last year I had one person ask me, "Why is purple the awareness color for domestic violence". I had no complete or even half way answer for that, other than it just is.
So this year I decided to find out so that if someone asks me again, I can tell them.
I could not find a definite answer to this. However, there were bits and pieces of the same story that I did keep running into so that is what I decided to piece together. This may not be the absolute real reason the color purple was chosen, but it is the most accepted story.
Lisa Bianco was a woman from the Midwest in the 1980s who left her abusive relationship. She then began working in battered women’s program in her community. Although her batterer had been sent to jail, he obtained a temporary furlough.
During this release, he crossed state lines, went to her home and killed her in the street in front of her neighbors.
After her murder, her friends and family wanted to remember the life and work of this woman and chose to wear her favorite color in her honor - the color purple.
copied from: http://www.safeplace.org/site/PageServer?pagename=DVAM
Many states have recognized the purple ribbons in proclamations which memorialize National DV Awareness Month as October.
Many think that the purple ribbons are to show support for the survivors and advocates and that is partly correct. The purple ribbons also are meant to bring the message that there is no place for domestic violence in schools, homes, communities or workplaces.
The color purple represents courage, survival, honor and dedication to ending domestic violence.
So where are you going to put your purple?
With Domestic Violence Awareness Month just around the corner I thought maybe some would like to know how this month came about. Many often say that everything has a month and well DV gets October....there is a little more to it than that.
Yes, we should all be thinking of Awareness and Advocacy throughout the year; however this is the one month of the year that everyone can also come together to remember those that have been touched by domestic violence in one way or another.
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) held the first ever Day of Unity in October 1981. I do not know, nor can I find why they picked one day in the month of October, but this day is what started it all. The Day of Unity was intended to represent the unity of advocates working for victims of domestic violence across the United States.
The Day of Unity eventually became a week-long recognition of:
advocates who were committed to the prevention of domestic violence,
remembrance of the women and children killed because of domestic violence, and
the recognition and celebration of those who survived domestic violence.
The first Domestic Violence Awareness Month was October 1987. The goal was to coordinate efforts nationwide to educate communities about domestic violence, the effects on community and the resources available to help survivors. That first national toll-free hotline began that same year.
In 1989 the first Domestic Violence Awareness Month Commemorative Legislation was passed by the United States Congress. Since Domestic Violence Awareness Month’s enactment, State Legislatures across the nation have done the same as well.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month is also a time to encourage the public to take active steps to address domestic violence. The hope is that a month of intensified awareness efforts combined with the broad spectrum of anti-domestic violence work throughout the year will bring us closer to ending domestic violence.
So what are you going to do this year?
Today is National Respect Day to raise awareness about sexual assault and take a stand against child abuse.
You can lend your support by texting the keyword “RESPECT” to 41010 – for a goal of 10 million acts of respect for the 10 million children who witness violence in their homes each year. Your mobile effort will be mapped out on GiveRespect.org, which will be populated by the minute with respect acts across the country.
You can also go to the web site and sign the declaration which will also be mapped. Look around the site once you get there, there is information and many different ways to become involved.
This is a virtual rally, so no matter where you are you can join in the rally! If you are concerned for your private information, then use a different name and zip code when signing the declaration, it is the numbers that count!
You can also choose to donate $5 from your mobile phone to support the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF), one of the nation’s leading organizations working to prevent and end violence against women and children, and you can invite a friend to join the movement. (The $5 donation will be added to your phone bill after you opt in.)
Dear Readers,
There's a worldwide rally for respect going on. And it's all about preventing violence against women and children by building safer, healthier, and stronger homes and communities throughout the world.
Join me at the rally for respect at GiveRespect.org.
From,
Mary
