This year has been particularly difficult for survivors of domestic violence. From the spectacle of misogyny that was the Depp v. Heard trial to two recent Supreme Court decisions that will grant more power to abusers — the overturning Roe v. Wade and the striking down of a century-old New York law that limited the carrying of concealed firearms outside the home — victims of gender violence face more challenges than ever before.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). Join advocates and survivors in New York and across the country in educating ourselves and our communities about the dynamics of abuse, and raising awareness about resources available to victims. Here are a few ways you can get involved:.
Raise Your Voice on Social Media
Help us raise awareness about the prevalence and lethality of domestic violence, as well as of resources available to survivors, by posting on social media. We have created a social media toolkit with sample captions and downloadable infographics to help get you started, but feel free to customize your messaging in whatever way is most meaningful to you.
Access our full social media toolkit here: https://bit.ly/3yvqqR8
You can also take action by reading and sharing our blog posts:
- The Silent Epidemic of Femicide in the United States
- Access to Abortion — A Lifeline for Survivors of Domestic Violence
- Standing With LGBTQ+ Survivors
- The Links Between Disability & Domestic Violence
Read more blog posts here.
Or, you can watch and share our videos:
Check out more videos on our YouTube Channel.
Attend an Event
Join Sanctuary, fellow service providers, advocates, and supporters during the month of October.
- October 7 | KAFSC’s Annual Silent March against Domestic Violence, 5:00 PM @ NYPD – 109th Precinct, 37-05 Union Street, Queens, New York – The Korean American Family Service Center will be hosting a march down the heart of Flushing in solidarity with survivors of domestic violence. RSVP here.
- October 8 | Love on the Block, 12:00 – 5:00 PM @ North Harlem – Bradhurst Avenue 154th & 155th St, New York, NY – Hosted by W.A.R.M. (We All Really Matter), come out and enjoy free food, music, clothing giveaways, bouncy houses, and 20+ resource vendors. Register here.
- October 13 | Move to Move Beyond Workshop, 6:30-8:00 PM @ Gibney Dance – 280 Broadway, Studio D, New York, NY – Join Sanctuary Survivor Leaders at Gibney’s Move to Move Beyond — a workshop that offers opportunities to explore personal autonomy, agency, and choice within a supportive collective. Register here.
- October 13-14 | 2022 Family Law Conference “Justice for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence” – Join family law practitioners, survivor leaders, social service professionals, members of the judiciary, and advocates to address systemic injustices faced by survivors of intimate partner violence within New York State’s family law system. Register here.
- October 15 | Sisters in Purple Domestic Violence Awareness March, 11:00-12:00 PM @ W 145 Street and Lenox Avenue, New York, NY – Help bring more resources to the Bronx Community and join Returning Hope Inc. for their domestic violence resource fair. Register here.
- October 15, | Bronx DA Walk/Run/Roll to End Domestic Violence 5K, 9:30 AM-12:30 PM In front of the Supreme Court steps at 161st Street and the Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY – Join us at a 5K hosted by the Bronx District Attorney’s office to raise awareness about domestic violence and honor the resilience of survivors. Register here.
Request a Training
Our staff and survivor leaders are available to lead virtual trainings for community members and groups – including schools, hospitals, law enforcement, courts and judges, faith communities, and cultural groups – who are interested in learning how to identify and support survivors. Learn more.
Wear Purple on Thursday, Oct. 20 and Participate in our Video Campaign
On NYC Go Purple Day, we wear purple to spark conversation and raise awareness about domestic violence. This year, Sanctuary will be creating short videos for Sanctuary’s social media accounts to empower survivors and raise awareness about domestic violence — but we need your help!
If you are interested in joining our collective video project, please register here.
Video guidelines:
You can record the video yourself with your mobile device. Please keep the videos to a maximum of 15 seconds in length, and record in portrait mode (vertically). And most importantly, WEAR PURPLE!
- Answer one of the following prompts, or create your own:
- I wear purple because…
- I stand with survivors because…
- What I want people to know about domestic violence is…
Please make sure to include the question in the answer, for example: “I wear purple because everyone deserves the chance to live a life free from violence.”
Register here to participate in the Purple Day video.
Submission guidelines:
The deadline to submit your video is Friday, October 14th.
You can upload your videos here.
We look forward to celebrating Purple Day together! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out at lbauer@sffny.org..
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