Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The Purple People

For the past few years, life-sized purple silhouettes of women, children, men, and even a dog, have been placed at various locations throughout Amador County. This year, Kam Merzlak of Merzlak Signs cut out 150 of the life-size Purple People to represent victims of domestic violence. The silhouettes each have a different, real life story or situation. Some contain data about domestic violence. Operation Care staff and volunteers have prepared the county-wide display, featuring statistics and stories contributed by advocates, clients, and survivors of domestic violence. This display was developed to raise awareness about the impact of domestic violence in our community.

Purple People Stories

• A living Survivor
• A survivor
• Scared
• Staying with her
• Frustrated and scared
• Afraid
• A resident at a Domestic Violence Shelter
• Deceased
• Not going to be a victim any longer
• A loving mother
• Not leaving
• Trying to escape
• Filing for a Restraining Order
• Needing resources
• Confused
• Buried next to my sister
• Still in this relationship
• Still in love with her
• So confused
• Free
• Scared
• Trapped
• Safe now
• A living survivor

History

Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) evolved from the "Day of Unity" in October 1981 conceived by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The intent was to connect advocates across the nation who were working to end violence against women and their children. The Day of Unity soon became an entire week devoted to a range of activities conducted at the local, state, and national levels.

The activities conducted were as varied and diverse as the program sponsors but had common themes: mourning those who have died because of domestic violence, celebrating those who have survived, and connecting those who work to end violence.

In October 1987, the first Domestic Violence Awareness Month was observed. That same year marks the initiation of the first national domestic violence toll-free hotline. In 1989 the U.S. Congress passed Public Law 101-112 designating October of that year as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Such legislation has passed every year since with NCADV providing key leadership in this effort. Each year, the Day of Unity is celebrated the first Monday of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.