Larson: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and tomorrow, October 17, is Purple Tie Tuesday, a public awareness activity whereby men and women wear purple to recognize the importance of domestic violence awareness.

Senator Tim Larson (D-East Hartford) and the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence are hoping that you all will participate by wearing a purple and learning more about how domestic violence affects people in your community.

In Connecticut:

• Nearly 40,000 victims seek services from domestic violence organizations annually.
• Domestic violence shelters are at 122 percent capacity all the time with more than 1,000 adults and 1,200 children seeking safety in shelter each year.
• Nearly 70 percent of children in shelter are under the age of six.
• Shelter utilization has increased 119 percent over the past eight years and length of stay is up 77 percent.
• Certified domestic violence advocates spent 93,633 hours counseling survivors in 2016 around risk, safety and help to get them get to their next best place.

Clearly, there is no better time than now to be talking about this critical public health issue and raising awareness that help is available 24/7 wherever you live in our state.

Feel free to post your Purple Tie Tuesday photos on Facebook or Twitter and using #PurpleTieTuesday and tag Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence:

Facebook: @CTCoalitionAgainstDomesticViolence
Twitter: @CTCADV

For more general information about domestic violence, including potential warning signs for emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline’s information page: Is This Abuse? Get the Facts.