MONTGOMERY– If you start to see a bit more purple around your area this month, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the purple ribbons, logos and other decorations are designed to raise awareness about domestic violence and the assistance available to victims.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is joining in by turning its logo purple for the month and reminding Alabamians that free, professional help is always available for victims at nonprofit organizations across the state.
The organizations provide free services including 24-hour crisis lines, emergency shelter, counseling, court advocacy, safety plans and more. A list of shelters is available on the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence website: www.acadv.org/get-help/shelters. Help also is available 24-hours a day by calling the coalition’s statewide domestic violence hotline at 1-800-650-6522.
‘We want to ensure that survivors of domestic abuse know that services are available at any time of the day to help them escape a violent situation,’ ADECA Director
Jim Byard Jr.
Jr. said. ‘The dedicated staff and volunteers working with domestic violence organizations deserve our gratitude for the vital services they provide. ADECA is honored to partner with them to provide vital assistance to people across the state who have suffered from abuse.’
The services are supported by grants awarded by Gov. Robert Bentley and administered by ADECA from funds provided by the U. S. Justice Department and the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. In the past year, 18 nonprofit organizations have received more than $3.9 million in grants. This year, the organizations began receiving additional support from the state’s Domestic Violence Trust Fund which was established by the Legislature and Bentley in 2015. The fund, supported by the state marriage license fee and administered by ADECA, is distributed quarterly to the agencies to provide shelter for victims and to conduct educational and prevention programs.
Along with the grant funding, these organizations rely on private donations to ensure that services are always available.
ADECA also will be participating in a candlelight vigil at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6 on the front steps of the State Capitol. Organized by the Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the event honors victims and raises awareness of domestic violence and the services and assistance available to victims.
‘Domestic Violence Awareness Month offers an opportunity for people and agencies across our state and nation to bring special attention to this important social issue,’ said Patricia Butts, executive director of the coalition. ‘We invite all residents of this great state to join the discussion this month and ‘Hold Up the Light’ against domestic violence.’
Here are some domestic violence statistics from the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence:
• 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men are victims of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime.
• 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men are victims of severe physical violence.
• 1 in 7 women and 1 in 18 men are stalked by an intimate partner within their lifetime. • On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.
• On average, 620 victims are served each day in Alabama.
Media Release/STATE OF ALABAMA
