September 22, 2008

Why Purple??

Each year for October I dye my hair purple.  I am always asked why purple, and my answer always is:  because it is the awareness color for domestic violence and this is domestic violence awareness month.

Last year I had one person ask me, "Why is purple the awareness color for domestic violence".  I had no complete or even half way answer for that, other than it just is.

So this year I decided to find out so that if someone asks me again, I can tell them.

I could not find a definite answer to this.  However, there were bits and pieces of the same story that I did keep running into so that is what I decided to piece together.  This may not be the absolute real reason the color purple was chosen, but it is the most accepted story. 

Lisa Bianco was a woman from the Midwest in the 1980s who left her abusive relationship. She then began working in battered women’s program in her community. Although her batterer had been sent to jail, he obtained a temporary furlough.

During this release, he crossed state lines, went to her home and killed her in the street in front of her neighbors.

After her murder, her friends and family wanted to remember the life and work of this woman and chose to wear her favorite color in her honor - the color purple.

copied from:  http://www.safeplace.org/site/PageServer?pagename=DVAM

Many states have recognized the purple ribbons in proclamations which memorialize National DV Awareness Month as October.

Many think that the purple ribbons are to show support for the survivors and advocates and that is partly correct.  The purple ribbons also are meant to bring the message that there is no place for domestic violence in schools, homes, communities or workplaces.

The color purple represents courage, survival, honor and dedication to ending domestic violence.

So where are you going to put your purple?

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