Everybody knows America has gotten a little silly about assigning special observances to days, weeks and even entire months. Did you know October is National Apple Month, National Pizza Month and National Toilet Tank Repair Month?
But here’s a deadly serious one: October is also domestic violence awareness month.
How serious? According to the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, an average of three women are killed by a current or former partner in the United States each day. According to Washington state, there were 28 domestic violence homicides in Clark County from 1997 to 2009 — and 14 abuser suicides.
“We’re right around the national average,” said Debra Adams, director of the YWCA Clark County’s SafeChoice program. “We handle 50,000 calls per year related to domestic violence.” She said the local SafeChoice shelter hosts around 300 women and children fleeing domestic violence per year.
SafeChoice combats domestic violence through education, advocacy and growing partnerships, Adams said. Given the way the economic climate has curtailed social service budgets including the Y’s, she said, agency collaborations have never been more crucial.
“Because we’re the only domestic violence agency in the whole county,” she said, “and because even our own agency budget been impacted, we are asking community partners to step up and work with us. We want to do a lot of cross training.” That means police, teachers, social service providers, church leaders — anyone who can help.
While it’s important to recognize that domestic violence has no income limits, a faltering economy can drive the problem, Adams added.
“The additional stress and frustration and lack of hope are always dangerous,” she said.
Purple power
This year, the Y is catching the wave started in 2007 when a grass-roots, nonprofit domestic violence group in the city of Covington hatched the idea of citizens putting up purple lights — individual lights or whole strings — as an awareness campaign.
“If you light a purple light, it shows your support and recognition of the issue in your community,” said Adams. “You’re standing against domestic violence.”
Purple Light Nights has now become a federally recognized trademark — and experienced Covington organizers warn via their website that if you want your lights to be noticed and understood, go for truly dark light bulbs (those standard Halloween “black lights” are fine) that put out at least 60 watts. Less powerful lights simply cannot be seen outdoors. And brighter-hued lights, like pink, may suggest that you mean to be spreading the word about National Breast Cancer Awareness Month — also a worthy cause, for sure, and also October.
Take a look at http://www.purplelightnights.org — and at the Y’s website at http://www.ywcaclarkcounty.org.
Events schedule
Here’s a rundown of local domestic violence awareness events, all of which (except Oct. 6) take place at the YWCA Clark County, 3609 Main St. in Vancouver.
• A talk about sex trafficking of minors, presented by the Beaverton, Ore.-based Sexual Assault Resource Center: noon to 2 p.m. today.
• Purple lighting ceremony: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. today.
• Listen to Debra Adams discuss the Voices for Justice program at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/helpingheroes, 6 to 7 p.m., Oct. 6.
• Brown bag voter education lunch: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Oct. 7. Adams said approximately 25 local candidates to elective office, from county sheriff to state representative, have been invited.
• Domestic violence support group for teen girls, 4 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 11. “Teen dating violence occurs at the same rate as adult domestic violence,” Adams said.
• Community response to domestic violence, 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 20. Police, politicians and at least one church leader will talk about their roles.
• Survivors’ panel, 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 27. “This is really helpful to people who want to get a real feel for what it’s like to have lived through this experience,” Adams said.
“We want people to realize that there are no simple answers to domestic violence,” she said. “It’s a very complex issue. There’s a lot of work to do.”
Scott Hewitt: 360-735-4525 or scott.hewitt@columbian.com.
