End The Silence 2018

This October is YWCA Spokane’s 3rd annual End The Silence Campaign.

A growing number of individuals, institutions, organizations, and businesses are pledging to End The Silence by engaging in a full month of events and activities designed to promote healthy relationships, end victim blaming, and let victims and survivors know they are not alone.

Throughout October, YWCA Spokane will encourage our community to speak up, speak out, and visually show support against the devastating silence that surrounds domestic violence. We also encourage community members to practice and teach healthy relationship practices, especially with children so they may practice healthy relationships as adults.

End the Silence Press Release 

To achieve this goal, we have a four-pronged End the Silence Campaign Goal. It is:

1. Awareness: Increase awareness in our community about services available for domestic violence survivors.
2. Education: Provide domestic violence training, resources, and campaign materials for individuals and business, including tools explaining how to help if someone you know is in an abusive relationship.
3. Allyship: Build partnerships with local businesses, organizations, and educational institutions who want to take a stand against domestic violence and show victims they are not alone, the we are here together as support, and we will no longer be silent about domestic violence.
4. Prevention: Make conversations about relationship dynamics and how to treat each other with respect a common practice. Provide opportunities for meaningful discussions about healthy relationships at the dinner table and in every day situations with those we love, including our children.

Community members and local businesses are asked to identify themselves as allies for domestic violence victims through a series of easy ways they can join this movement and make a difference this October. Learn how you can help end the silence in your everyday life through events, support, online presence, and education.

Learn more about the Campaign 

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Step InTo Action This October!

Event: A Recipe for a Healthy “We”!

Join us by stopping by Sweet Frosting’s Blissful Bakeshop to learn about how to live out a healthy relationship! This event will allow you to meet with local and advocates, who know not simply what domestic violence looks like, but also the practices of healthy relationships. Come by, get a free cupcake (while supplies last!), and learn about relationships with the Spokane community! Sweet Frostings will also be selling ETS cookies all month of October. Cookies are on sale for $4.00, and $2.00 of every cookie goes back to the Domestic Violence Action Month efforts.

Details

• Please join us on October 20th from 12:00 pm-3:30 pm
• Thank you to Sweet Frostings Blissful Bakeshop | 15 S Washington St, Spokane, WA 99201, for hosting this event!
• End The Silence cookies will also be available for purchase with part of the proceeds going towards our mission to raise awareness about domestic violence.

Read More About a Recipe for a Healthy We

 

Event: nYne Bar & Bistro Tabling and Fundraiser

Join us at nYne Bar & Bistro to learn more about ending the silence and domestic violence in the Spokane community. We will be raising critical funds to continue our advocacy work against domestic violence.

Details

• We will be tabling from 6:00 pm- 8:00 pm at nYne bar | 232 W Sprague Ave, Spokane, WA 99201.
• Every Wednesday in October, 9% of all sales, all day go to YWCA, with a happy hour all day long!
• nYne Bar will be doing Karaoke at 6:30 on Wednesdays.
• October 24th will be a bingo night!
• Proceeds will go to our Women’s and Children’s Shelter.

Read More About Tabling

 

Event: Chalk Walk Mondays

On Mondays, come visit YWCA Spokane and write or draw on our sidewalks in support of domestic violence survivors. Your contributions to our sidewalk art is welcome all day on Mondays throughout the month of October.

Read More About Chalk Walk Mondays

 

Event: Purple Thursdays

Every Thursday during the month of October, wear purple to show support for survivors of domestic violence. Take a selfie, and post it with the hashtag #EndTheSilence to join in the movement this October.

Read More About Purple Thursdays

Additional Event offered by the community: Stop the Silence Fall Music Fesitival

Join Stop the Silence for their Second Annual Fall Music Festival! This fun and free family event will include will include face painting, caricature drawings, carnival games, food and treats available for purchase from local food trucks, and live music! Come listen to The Stand Street Ministry, HyJynks, XCR Band, Jimi Finn, and a few more to be announced! There will also be both a ive auction and silent auction items to benefit the YWCA Spokane, Naomi, Safe Passage, and Boundary County Victims Services. We are thankful to Stop the Silence for facilitating this event!

Details

• October 14th, 11:00 am-5:00 pm
• Peone View 11515 N Bruce Rd, Mead, WA 99021
• Bring a canned good to get a special prize. Canned goods and dry storage items will help fill Naomi’s pantry.
• Follow Stop the Silence on Facebook to get more details about the event

 

Read more about stop the silence

 

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What You Can Do To Show Your Support

 

• Host a Training at Your Work – Notify Nicole Nimens, YWCA Spokane Community Education and Outreach Coordinator, at nicolen@ywcaspokane.org or call 509-789-9290 if your organization/business plans to engage in the End The Silence movement. She is available for trainings on domestic violence and prevention. The YWCA Spokane is here to support and promote you every step of the way.

• 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 experts on their own life and be whatever support they need.

• Promote Healthy Relationships – Talk to your kids, friends, family members, coworkers, 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.

• Sign the Pledge – Your business/organization and staff/volunteers can come together and each sign the End The Silence Pledge Form, and show your commitment to ending the silence.

• Pin it On – Wear the End The Silence button throughout the month of October. Call 509-326-1190 to request buttons.

• 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.

• 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.).

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Be present with us online!

Social Media

• Replace your social media profile picture with the End The Silence logo or frame..
• Share articles and resources on social media about domestic violence and healthy relationships, like the Power and Control Wheel or the Healthy Relationship Wheel.  
• Use the hashtag #EndTheSilence to help spread awareness.

Follow us!

• YWCA Spokane on Facebook
• YWCA Spokane on Twitter
• And other domestic violence awareness groups on social media, such as:
  • Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
  • National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
  • domesticshelters.org

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 on social media using the hashtag #endthesilence.

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

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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

• 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 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of [some form of] physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime.
• More facts and myths about domestic violence 

OUR GOAL

Purple is the nationwide designated color to visually represent support for domestic violence awareness during October.  The YWCA Spokane’s goal is to “paint the town purple” during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

This united, visual form of support will help the many silent victims in our community know they are not alone, safe allies are out there, and they don’t have to do this on their own. We are here to support them and we will no longer tolerate the veil of silence that has been devastating to so many women, children, and families.

 

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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 the YWCA Spokane domestic violence free helpline: 509.326.CALL (2255).

Support is available for victims and allies 24/7!