Tomorrow, October 25th, is Purple Thursday.

Do you know what that is?

Do you know how important and helpful to millions of people it might be for you simply to wear the color purple tomorrow?

It’s about domestic violence awareness and prevention. It’s a public statement that says “No more!” 

My awareness about this terrible blight on our homes and entire culture has grown hugely in recent years, and this month it grew a bit more via this found wisdom in a county library display:

This is a US national statistic.
The stat I unfortunately cut off in this photo is a shocking 10 million victims annually!
Though this is the NCADV’s definition, most statistics like the ones mentioned above do not include emotional/psychological abuse, which is a very real health- and even life-threatening phenomenon. It is just hard to prove, and therefore is omitted from stats and court cases, where it robs time from proving actual physical crimes, a more achievable endeavor.
Just the social change of public attitude about domestic violence/abuse can have a surprisingly strong deterrent effect. That’s why more and more people wearing purple on Purple Thursday and becoming more aware about domestic violence can be so valuable.

There are many who feel they have no voice. Another stat I read reported that 65% of domestic violence victims said they received no help. Many are not even believed when they do try to tell.

Shall we take a stand? Shall we, just quietly and individually, accept this invitation from the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence:

“Make a fashion statement that really says something: wear something purple on Thursday, October 25th to honor victims and support survivors of domestic violence! This year marks the 7th annual observance of Purple Thursday, the awareness day launched by the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence that’s now gone national with Purple Thursday observances in Massachusetts, New York and Oklahoma…”

I’m wearing purple tomorrow, how about you?

For more about Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Purple Thursday click here.

For more about “No More…!” click here.

*****