Purple Week, a week of SLU-specific events dedicated to recognizing the various forms of inter-partner violence, will be commencing this Sunday at 10 a.m. with a 5 km color run/walk.
Sponsored by the SLU Advocates, Purple Week coincides with Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which has taken place each year since October 1981. October is thus designated as a time to mourn those who have passed away due to domestic violence, to celebrate those who have survived it, and to raise awareness about inter-partner abuse in an effort to overcome it.
Purple Week includes a variety of events dedicated to heightening awareness of domestic violence, as well as offering support for those who have survived instances of inter-partner abuse. In addition to “Take Back the Night,” which allows survivors to share their stories, the week also offers students a chance to take part in a non-alcoholic sip and paint, knitting, trivia night at the Hoot (for those 21 and up), a “one love escalation workshop,” yoga, and a self defense class. The week will then close with a Purple Week Gospel Service, honoring all those individuals who have been affected by domestic violence.
As President Fox ’75 stated in 2014: “The use of the color purple in October represents domestic violence awareness. At St. Lawrence, our student Advocates are using this week to promote awareness about all forms of relationship violence. These events are the beginning of a year-long effort, and one that we pledge to continue every year, to establish a culture in which respect, care, and concern are the attributes that characterize our relationships.”
St. Lawrence has maintained its commitment to addressing instances of inter-partner violence in the years since this statement.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), with every minute that passes, approximately 20 people are physically assaulted by an intimate partner.
Despite the stereotypes garnered from renditions of inter-partner violence in popular culture, domestic violence does not find a home solely in the hidden lives of older, working-class Americans. In a study conducted by the NCADV in 2007, one third of college students reported having physically assaulted their partner within the last year. Furthermore, college aged women (age 16 to 24) were purported to experience the highest rates of dating violence, more so than any other age bracket.
Although Domestic Violence Awareness Month originally began as a means of honoring those women and children who were survivors and/or victims of domestic abuse, the month has now expanded to include all individuals who have been subjected to domestic assault. It is thus important to remember that males are not always the perpetrators of assault– they can also be the victims. Inter-partner violence can arise between all couples, regardless of their genders, sexual orientations, classes, and/or races and ethnicities.
Purple Week at SLU will thus be honoring all survivors of domestic assault, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or any other social identity group to which they belong. Come out this Sunday to join the SLU Advocates in support of all survivors, and continue to do so for the rest of the coming week!