Will YOU join us in raising awareness about domestic violence by participating in #PugetSoundPurpleThursday? 💜 Wear purple, change your background, or share a personal story if you're comfortable and post with the hashtag above and #PurpleThursday2020 or #DVAM2020. Will YOU join us in raising awareness about domestic violence by participating in #PugetSoundPurpleThursday? 
Wear purple, change your background, or share a personal story if you’re comfortable, and post with the hashtag above and #PurpleThursday2020 or #DVAM2020.
The Human Services Department’s (HSD) Mayor’s Office on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (MODVSA) and the Office of Labor Standards (OLS) recently recognized the month of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month; a time to remember victims and survivors of abuse and exploitation; to raise awareness about violence and its effect on families and communities; and to acknowledge and highlight those working to end gender-based violence. 
In recent years, an additional day for raising awareness on social media–Purple Thursday–was declared for the 4th Thursday of the month. As a day dedicated to visibly showing your support for survivors and for ending domestic violence, everyone is asked to wear something purple, change their social media backgrounds, or share a personal story. By posting to social media with the hashtags, everyone can raise awareness of the issue by driving users online to hotline numbers for support, statistics about how domestic violence damages communities, and stories of survival.
As the awareness day has spread, many supporters have increasingly tied the day to the Halloween holiday at the end of the month. Some advocacy groups have also highlighted taglines that further emphasize the themes–such as reminders that “relationships should be fun, not scary,” “relationships should be a treat, not a trick,” and “romance isn’t supposed to be creepy.”
(Watch the Seattle Human Services social media feeds next week for a great campaign first designed by our partners at the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence!)
This year has been an especially challenging one. While agencies and programs quickly pivoted in response to COVID-19, we have witnessed a rise in reported incidents of gender-based violence and related fatalities both locally and nationally due to social distancing, economic deprivation and related conditions. Those most impacted prior to COVID and during COVID are overwhelmingly marginalized populations: communities of color, GBLTIQ, immigrants and refugees, and those living with disabilities.
Join us right now in helping raise awareness and get the word out. And let people in your community know about The National Domestic Violence Hotline – 1.800.799-SAFE (7233) / TTY 1.800.787.3224
For more ideas and action steps that you can take to end domestic violence, visit: https://endgv.org/ or https://wscadv.org/dvam/.
Please visit the OLS website for more information on the PSST Ordinance or call 206-256-5297. And, visit the Seattle Human Services Department for more on supportive victim services.