Purple is the color of wild lavender growing in a filed. Purple is the color for Domestic Violence Awareness. But most importantly:
Purple is the color of the bruises she hides under her clothes.
Before I joined Alpha Chi Omega, I didn't really think twice when I heard a statistic concerning domestic violence. I didn't think twice because it wasn't something that directly impacted me in my own home. Realizing this got me thinking. If this is how little I thought domestic violence didn't impact me, other people may very well be thinking the same thing.
Domestic violence is happening. It could be in your home, in your neighborhood, or in your community; so it's time to start giving domestic violence the attention it deserves.
It is no longer an option to ignore. It's easy to take a step back and pretend it doesn't happen as often as it does, but here's a few statistics to help put domestic violence in perspective:
- On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men.
- In domestic violence homicides, women are six times more likely to be killed when there is a gun in the house.
- 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men in the United States have been raped in their lifetime.
The extremities of these statistics never fail to shock me every single time I read them, and these are only a few of the many listed. Domestic violence should not be something to joke around about. The world needs to realize that a victim NEVER "asks for it." The world needs to realize that while women are more likely to fall at the hands of an abuser, men can be victims too. We all collectively need to stop making comments that belittle people who experience domestic violence.
"Why doesn't she just leave him if he hits her?" It's not that easy.
"You're a man; a woman can't beat you up or rape you." Gender doesn't determine who can and can't inflict pain and suffering.
"They were dating. He didn't rape her." Just because consensual sex has happened before, you have no idea what he could be holding over her head if she didn't let him do what he wanted.
What I'm trying to get at here is that domestic violence is never black and white. Just because something seems a certain way, it doesn't mean the dark truth isn't hiding behind closed doors. We need to be more empathetic to victims. We need to support them when they cry for help, not judge them for what we don't know the whole truth about.
Working with women and children who have first hand experience on what it feels like to be living in constant fear further propels me to make sure the world becomes more aware. While there will never be a "cure," there will always be things we can do to make sure it can be prevented. We CAN help. We CAN make a difference. I'll be damned if I ever let someone who asks for help become a domestic violence statistic.
I, and along with all my fellow sisters of Alpha Chi Omega, will continue to stand for those who no longer can and we'll do all in our power to help those on their journey to safety. Join us and help spread awareness in stopping domestic violence. Love shouldn't hurt.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
If you or someone you know is a victim of Domestic Violence, help is here for you.
Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224 for further assistance in taking the next step.
