Shine a Light on Domestic Violence in our Community
Domestic violence has no place in our community! That’s the message of Purple Light Nights, the Domestic Violence Awareness Month campaign being hosted by the Domestic Violence & Child Advocacy Center (DVCAC) throughout the month of October. Purple Light Nights asks the entire Northeast Ohio Community (yes, that means you) to help shine a light on domestic violence, an issue that often happens behind closed doors and whose victims often suffer in silence.
“Most people know a victim of domestic violence,” says Linda Johanek, the executive director of the DVCAC. “You just might not know who it is. Domestic violence is so pervasive… it has no boundaries, its not about low income, upper income, economic status or geographic area,” she says. “We want everyone in our community to know about domestic violence, to recognize the signs of domestic violence, and to know where to go to get help.”
Watch the exclusive Cool Cleveland video interview with Linda Johanek here.
The DVCAC is embracing Purple Light Nights as a way that each and every citizen can shine a light not only to spark conversation, but also to honor victims who have lost their lives and those who are currently still suffering in abusive relationships today. “We use the imagery of shine a light because our goal is to take the shame and silence away, to start talking about domestic violence and acknowledge how much of a problem it is,” says Johanek. “We want to let victims know that they are not alone, that there is help, and there is a caring community.”
Purple Light Nights is a national campaign that was created by the Covington (WA) Domestic Violence Task Force. In partnership with the campaign creators, the DVCAC has given Purple Light Nights a local flavor by lighting the Terminal Tower purple during the first week of Domestic Violence Awareness Month from Sat 10/1 – Fri 10/7, posting flyers and information in Tower City, creating a social media image campaign featuring the Terminal Tower, and scheduling events for Northeast Ohioans to come out and participate.
Wondering how you can show your support for the victims of domestic violence? Here are four great opportunities for Northeast Ohio citizens to get involved:
1. Participate in the Social Media Campaign.
The DVCAC is asking residents of Northeast Ohio to change their profile picture to, or to post the following image on their wall along with the caption below. Feel free to ‘right click’ and save the image below, then use it for your profile picture and/or wall post during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. To copy the description, highlight it and select ‘Edit,’ ‘Copy.’ Then, when you’re in Facebook, you can paste the caption right along with the image.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. To celebrate the survivors of domestic violence and to create awareness of this growing problem, the Terminal Tower in Cleveland will be lit purple from Oct. 1st- 7th as part of the national “Purple Light Nights” Campaign. Help the Domestic Violence & Child Advocacy Center in Cleveland (DVCAC) “Shine a Light on Domestic Violence” this October and light up Facebook by making this your profile picture. For more information on “Purple Light Nights” events in Cleveland visit http://bit.ly/purplelightnights.
Other parts of the DVCAC Social Media Campaign will also be a lot of fun. The organization will post regular updates on their Facebook Fan Page over the next several weeks. Some of the activities in the works include a photo caption contest, opportunities to send in your own photos and videos with the purple Terminal Tower and much more. Check out the current DVCAC Fan Page, or, be one of the first to ‘like’ the new DVCAC page.
2. Buy a Purple Light or Light Strand to Display outside Your Home or in Your Office
You can literally light up the nights by purchasing and displaying a Purple Light (bulb or strand) in your home or office. Just don’t forget to tell everyone who admires your purple lights why you’re displaying them and what they represent! Lights are available for purchase at the following locations:
- DVCAC Office: 3146 Scranton Rd., Cleveland 44109 (near Metro Health Hospital)
- Solstice Salon: 13348 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 44107
- Latitude 41n: 5712 Detroit Ave., Cleveland 44102 (near West Side)
- Shear Detail: 5669 Pearl Rd., Cleveland 44129 (Parma)
Purple Light Bulbs are $3 or two for $5 and Strands of Purple Lights are $5.
3. The 18th Annual Break the Silence… Break the Cycle Luncheon
On Tue 10/18 from 11:30AM – 1:30PM at Windows on the River, advocates of Domestic Violence Prevention will join for the 18th Annual Break the Silence… Break the Cycle Luncheon. Proceeds will benefit the Domestic Violence & Child Advocacy Center. Special guest Wambui Bahati will talk about the many faces of domestic violence and how it impacts the whole family. Click here to learn more.
4. Purple Light Night Walk Get your walk on with other community members to support the victims and survivors of Domestic Violence in our community and to build awareness. The Walk will take place Fri 10/21 at 7 p.m. More information will be available soon at the Purple Light Nights event page.
The Domestic Violence & Child Advocacy Center would like to thank their sponsors, Purple Light Champion Verizon Wireless and Purple Light Supporter Great Lakes Brewing Company, along with their more than 35 partners who are helping with the 2011 Purple Light Nights events.
Purple Light Nights hosted by the DVCAC continues throughout the month of October. To learn more about dates and event times, visit Purple Light Nights on the DVCAC website and check out the current DVCAC Fan Page, or, be one of the first to ‘like’ the new DVCAC page.
Click here to watch the video.
Julie Cajigas is a Cleveland girl who grew up on the East & West Side and now lives near Akron – she’s got the whole town covered. Cajigas holds Bachelors Degrees in Communication and Music, along with a Masters in Applied Communication Theory and Methodology from Cleveland State University, and currently serves as a visiting lecturer in the The University of Akron’s School of Communication.