End The Silence With Domestic Violence

Ending The Silence With Domestic violence

Let’s Paint The Town Purple!

Each year YWCA agencies across the nation engage in domestic violence prevention and awareness campaigns during October, Domestic Violence Action Month, an effort established by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence in 1981. In 2016, YWCA Spokane launched our inaugural campaign called End The Silence.

The End The Silence campaign goal is to stop victim-blaming and to ask the community to stand alongside victims and survivors of domestic violence as safe allies, making it know that they are not alone.

We will encourage our community to speak up, speak out, and visually show support against the devastating silence that surrounds domestic violence.

We ask community members and local businesses to identify themselves as allies for domestic violence victims through a series of easy ways they can join this movement and make a difference throughout October.

---

WHY ‘END THE SILENCE’?

Often victims of domestic violence don’t reach out for help for fear no one will believe them. Many feel embarrassed or ashamed they “let it happen,” or feel it was “their fault.” The feeling of shame, isolation, and a lack of safe ally support can be major factors that contribute to a victim’s choice to remain in an unsafe or unhealthy relationship.

The Facts

The below facts are provided courtesy of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence:

• 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.¹
• Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime.²
• Women between the ages of 18-24 are most commonly abused by an intimate partner.²
• The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%.¹⁰
• 1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year, and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence.⁵
• Many more devastating facts about domestic violence.

---

What Can I Do

Host a Training

Our Education and Outreach Coordinator is available to engage with you and your organization to learn ways you can help end domestic violence in our community. Topics include how domestic violence impacts the work environment, how to help a friend or coworker, and prevention with youth. Learn more about intimate partner domestic violence training here. 

DV Training

---

Social Media

• Replace your social media profile picture with the End The Silence logo or frame.
• Post an End The Silence Selfie on social media to show victims you are a safe ally.
• Display an End The Silence Flyer in common areas at your place of work.
• Share articles and resources about domestic violence and healthy relationships, like the Power and Control Wheel.
• Use the hashtag #EndTheSilence to help spread awareness.
• Follow YWCA Spokane and other domestic violence awareness groups on social media, such as:
  • Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
  • National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
  • domesticshelters.org

• Donate in the name of the End The Silence movement to help further our mission.

End The Silence Selfie Signs

Listen & Believe

If someone is telling you they’re experiencing domestic violence, let them know you believe them and are there to listen non-judgmentally. Don’t rush to solve their problems or tell them what to do–believe that they are the expert on their own life and be whatever support they need.

Promote Healthy Relationships

Talk to your kids, friends, family members, co-workers, etc about healthy relationships. Topics that fall under this can include consent, boundaries, and healthy communication. For more information and resources on how to talk to kids and teens about healthy relationships, check out Futures Without Violence and Love Is Respect.

Create Community

Domestic violence thrives under isolation and in situations where violent behavior goes unchecked. Challenge violent or discriminatory behavior based on someone’s race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or level of ability. Attend community events and cultural and religious celebrations. Participate in local politics. Talk to your neighbors. Be an active and engaged community member!

Get Involved

Does your business have a plan for employees who are experiencing domestic violence? Does your kid’s school have resources on teen dating violence? Does your college have good policies for handling sexual assault and domestic violence among students? If so, support them. If not, talk to someone about implementing policies for preventing and addressing violence.

---

paint the town purple

YWCA Spokane has created various ways you can join the End The Silence movement during October’s Domestic Violence Action Month and all year round. Show victims they are not alone. Contact our Community Outreach Coordinator for more information call 509-789-9290.

• SIGN THE PLEDGE: Your business/organization and staff/volunteers can come together and each sign the End The Silence Pledge Form, expressing commitment to the movement.
• PIN IT ON: Wear the End The Silence button throughout the month of October. Call 509-326-1190 to request buttons.
• FOLLOW US: Follow YWCA Spokane on Facebook and Twitter. Share, like, and comment on End The Silence posts provided by the YWCA throughout the month of October.
• HANG POSTERS: Hang End The Silence posters in highly visible areas such as windows, bathrooms, and/or on bulletin boards at your place of work.
• EYE CATCHING DISPLAYS: Decorate the entrance door at your place of business or home with purple paper, streamers, balloons and other décor.
• SHARE GRAPHICS: Post End The Silence graphics on your personal or company social media page expressing your commitment to the End The Silence movement with #endthesilence.
• SHARE PHOTOS: Take a End The Silence photo with a selfie sign expressing why you are supporting the movement. Post using hashtag #endthesilence.
• STICK IT ON: Place ez-peel, re-positional End The Silence stickers in visible places and on product packaging (ex: coffee shop places End The Silence stickers on drinks served in October). Call 509-326-1190 to request stickers. 
• PURPLE-IZE YOUR PRODUCTS: Dye products that are sold/distributed during October purple as a show of support (ex: drinks, cupcakes, donuts, chocolate, etc.).
• GET CREATIVE: Coordinate with staff/coworkers/volunteers to show visual support together in a creative way (ex: wear purple, dye hair purple, purple fake tattoos, purple nail polish, etc.).
• STAY INFORMED: Sign up for YWCA Spokane eNews notifications at ywcaspokane.org. You will receive updates throughout October providing easy ways you can engage in person and online, and encourage others to do the same.

 

RECEIVE OUR NEWSLETTER

---

WEEK WITHOUT VIOLENCE – A CALL OUT TO LOCAL BUSINESSES

For over 20 years, YWCA USA has set aside one week during October called the Week Without Violence as part of a global movement with the World YWCA to end violence against women and girls.

To align with this effort, YWCA Spokane is looking for local businesses that want to become End The Silence campaign partners.  Each partner will work with our Community Education and Outreach Coordinator to establish a specific visible goal/activity to engage in during the Week Without Violence campaign that will focus on increasing awareness around the End The Silence movement.

Sign Up As A Week Without Violence Partner

• Notify our Community Education and Outreach Coordinator that your business/agency is interested in partnering with YWCA Spokane during the Week Without Violence by calling 509-789-9290.

---

SUPPORT & AWARENESS

Use hashtag #endthesilence with online activity to create as much awareness as possible. Ideas, comments, suggestions, and questions are always welcome. Let’s grow this campaign together! Join us and help YWCA Spokane “paint the town purple” this October. We look forward to establishing this campaign as an annual effort with the potential for incredible impact in our community.

Call 509-789-9290 if your organization/business plans to engage in the End The Silence movement, or would like to host a training at your place of business. YWCA Spokane is here to support and promote you every step of the way.

---

THANK YOU!

Thank you for taking a stand against domestic violence with YWCA Spokane! Together we will End The Silence around domestic violence and show victims that they are surrounded by a community of people who are here to support them.

---

NEED MORE INFO FOR YOURSELF, A FAMILY MEMBER, OR A FRIEND?

Call YWCA Spokane’s confidential domestic violence helpline: 509.326.CALL (2255) or email help@ywcaspokane.org.

Support is available for victims and allies 24/7!