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#PurpleThursday2020

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.

Why Do We Recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month?

The Human Services Department (HSD) 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. 

Thanking Our Partners for Their Commitment to Ending Gender-Based Violence

“Maria” and her young daughter escaped a physically and emotionally abusive relationship. She received assistance from a DV Housing Program while suffering from broken ribs and other injuries caused by her abuser. The individual apartment provided to Maria and her daughter allowed her the time and space to heal from her physical injuries. She was connected to an Advocate who provided emotional and practical support. Once Maria healed enough to focus on next steps, the Advocate supported her in obtaining legal assistance with issues resulting from the abuse, and addressed challenges which impacted her options for more stable housing. Maria received advocacy to help facilitate payment of past housing debt and resolved past legal issues that were barriers to her being housed. She and her daughter participated fully in many of the programs and activities offered by the DV Program, and her family connected with other families who had also experienced similar trauma. Maria and her daughter recently moved into their own apartment, located in an area of town close by social services and programming that she is working with. As Maria moved out from the Housing Program, she expressed her gratitude and said that she was “grateful for the non-judgmental acceptance and support,” and vowed to “help other survivors in the future in whatever path she takes.” Maria continues to receive support from the DV Housing Program in the form of mobile advocacy, client assistance, and rental assistance. With support from the agency, Maria and her daughter are able to find peace, happiness, and new life free from violence. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It is a time to remember victims/survivors of abuse and exploitation, to raise awareness of violence and its effects on families and communities, and a time to acknowledge and highlight those working to end gender-based 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. Maria and her daughter are one of more than 6,000 individuals/families assisted thus far in 2020 by the Seattle-funded network of providers. Our providers work in collaboration to provide wrap around services, including advocacy, counseling, therapeutic services, housing/shelter, legal assistance and representation, and systems improvement. With the “no wrong door” approach, our funded network mirrors the diversity in client population of Seattle-King County in providers and service options. Victim service agencies also participate on committees alongside system partners to assess, identify, plan and address systems needs and gaps, and to ensure that Seattle’s response is seamless. Such committees include: Access to Advocacy, Immigrant and Refugee Network, Peace in the Home, Day One, Coordinated Effort Against Sexual Exploitation (CEASE), Criminal Justice Committee, Domestic Violence Prevention Council (DVPC), and Domestic Violence Intervention Project (DVIP).

City of Seattle Recognizes October as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” to Raise Awareness and Support for Victims and Survivors of Abuse

The Office of Labor Standards (OLS) and the Human Services Department (HSD) mark the month of October as a time to remember victims and survivors of abuse and exploitation; to raise awareness about violence and its effect on families and communities; and acknowledge and highlight those working to end gender-based violence.  “During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen an increase in domestic violence reports, as we have had to separate from our families and friends to stop the spread of this deadly pandemic. While physical distancing can keep communities safe from the virus, it has also kept domestic violence survivors shut in with their offenders,” said Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. “We can still be a lifeline during this unprecedented time, remember to check in on your neighbors who may be suffering abuse in silence. Now more than ever, it’s crucial that we help those who may be suffering by raising our voices and awareness.”

HSD Announces Reentry/Rerooting Indigenous Community Healing RFP Funding Opportunity

The Youth and Family Empowerment (YFE) Division of the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking applications from organizations and coalitions interested in providing services to support Native/Indigenous people returning to their communities after incarceration. This funding opportunity was developed from the City of Seattle’s Reentry Workgroup led by the Seattle Office for Civil Rights (OCR). OCR’s vision is to liberate people in communities where systems of racism, oppression, and colonization historically held and/or continue to hold power and thrive. This request for proposal (RFP) process is a collaboration between OCR and HSD. This RFP is focused on reentry investments through Native/Indigenous-led community healing practices. Native/Indigenous-led healing practices may include cultural, spiritual, and/or ceremonial activities such as drumming circles, sweat lodges, canoe journey, woodcarving, and other practices that focus on healing, building connection and trust, and providing a sense of community.

Leadership, Legacy, and Advocacy Trailblazers Recognized on Human Trafficking Awareness Day

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan proclaimed the month of January as “Human Trafficking Awareness Month,” and last Friday, January 10, 2020 to be “Human Trafficking Awareness Day” to proclaim the equality and freedom inherent to all people, to advocate for legislation and protection for survivors, to raise awareness, and to recognize leaders in addressing human trafficking. “Working to end human trafficking takes passion, commitment, courage, and leadership,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan, at an event held Friday morning at City Hall. “An estimated 400,000 people are believed trapped in forced labor to sex trafficking in the United States. In Seattle, we want that number to be zero, and we must do everything we can to end human trafficking in our City and world. Today, we are honoring key leaders and trailblazers whose collective work have built the foundation for the anti-trafficking movement that we currently have in Seattle, King County, and Washington state today.”

City of Seattle Proclaims January as “Human Trafficking Awareness Month” to Encourage Public Awareness and Action Against Human Trafficking

For Immediate Release Contact: Michael Taylor-Judd, Public Relations Specialist, External Affairs, City of Seattle Human Services Department, 206-256-5225, michael.taylor-judd@seattle.gov Seattle – (January 2, 2020) – Mayor Jenny A. Durkan proclaimed the month of January as “Human Trafficking Awareness Month,” and January 10, 2020 to be “Human Trafficking Awareness Day” to proclaim… [ Keep reading ]

As 2019 Comes to a Close…

The year has kept the Seattle Human Services Department busy, presenting many challenges, opportunities, and reasons to celebrate! As we enter 2020, lets take a moment and look at 19 highlights from ‘19 that demonstrate the incredible work our teams have accomplished together – and with your partnership – over the last year:

Talking About Human Trafficking

Consider what you’ve been told about Human Trafficking. Consider how it has been portrayed in movies, television, or even some awareness campaigns. Have you seen pictures of slender wrists in handcuffs? Have you seen movies about a middle-class, adolescent female vacationing abroad when she is suddenly taken? Consider how rarely you see discussion of the invisible and coercive forces of poverty, psychological control, and isolation. The majority of trafficking situations involve such non-physical restraints, and as we enter the new year, and January’s observance of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, it is time to talk about that. The Seattle Human Services Department’s Mayor’s Office on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (MODVSA) is partnering with the Washington Advisory Committee on Trafficking (WashACT) to host a program and panel discussion including survivors, activists, and representatives from our criminal justice response to help expand the conversation around human trafficking in the City of Seattle. This event will be hosted on January 10th from 8:30am-11:00am in the Bertha Knight Landes room in Seattle City Hall.

City of Seattle Proclaims October as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” to Raise Awareness for Victims and Survivors of Abuse

Mayor Jenny A. Durkan proclaimed the month of October as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” to raise public awareness and support for victims and survivors of gender-based violence.The Office of Labor Standards (OLS) and the Human Services Department (HSD) mark this month as a time to remember victims and survivors of abuse and exploitation; to raise awareness of violence and its effect on families and communities; and acknowledge and highlight those working to address ending gender-based violence. Join the City of Seattle in honoring the victims and survivors of domestic violence by wearing purple every Thursday during October. During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Seattle City Hall lights will be purple, and on Thursday, October 24th City of Seattle staff will be joined by some other cities in the region for #PugetSoundPurpleThursday. Get your colleagues or loved ones together and join us by posting your photos online using the hashtag. For more ideas and action steps that you can take to end domestic violence, visit: https://endgv.org/ or https://wscadv.org/dvam/.