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Across the nation, experts and those who work with victims of domestic, dating and sexual violence are planning Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) events that educate the public, inspire action, and tell victims about the help and services that are available. While the activities come in all shapes and sizes, the goals are often the same: to raise awareness about the prevalence and cost of domestic and sexual violence, the need for prevention, and the services that are available to victims and their families.

There is still time to plan activities. The following examples of Domestic Violence Awareness Month events can be adapted to meet your program’s needs, goals, budget and time constraints. Feel free to contact them to learn more about how to organize activities like these. (What follows is a representative sample of the submissions.)

Light Up DVAM with Purple Night Lights™

The H.E.R. Shelter in Portsmouth, VA, is bringing Purple Night Lights™ to the Hampton Roads Area. To participate in Purple Night Lights™, residents are encouraged to purchase a purple light bulb and display it on their porch or in their window throughout Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Organizer Sandra Becker from the H.E.R. Shelter says the porch and window light bulbs are available in two sizes and for just a few dollars. The goal is to bring awareness and support to victims and survivors of domestic violence and to send a strong message that “Domestic Violence Has No Place in Our Community.”

Purple Night Lights™ was launched in King County, Washington in October 2007 by the Covington Domestic Violence Task Force. In the years since, more than 14 other states have participated. Becker says she is, “hoping Purple Night Lights™ will catch on throughout Virginia next year.” To get more information about holding a Purple Night Lights™ event, email Becker.

A Month of Events in Philadelphia

Women Against Abuse in Philadelphia is holding its annual iPledge Campaign this October for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. iPledge is a citywide anti-violence movement that calls on Philadelphians to help end violence at home and in the community. Organizer Katherine Young Wildes said, “By supporting iPledge, the community recognizes that unhealthy relationships at home not only destroy families, but compromise the health of the entire city.” Individuals can sign on to an online pledge against violence at www.iPledgeWAA.org. The web site provides visitors with information about domestic violence, as well as tangible ways they can join the work to stop abuse.

Events are scheduled throughout October help to raise awareness of the iPledge Campaign. iPledge kicks off with a news conference to officially launch the month-long initiative on October 1. Pennsylvania State Senator LeAnna Washington and MoShay LaRen, the midday host at WRNB 107.9 FM radio, are scheduled to speak. On October 21, Women Against Abuse will host a documentary screening followed by a short Q&A after the film featuring experts on domestic violence. On October 26, Women Against Abuse is planning for ten of Philadelphia’s top women-owned or operated restaurants to compete for the first ever Purple Dish Award. Email Katherine Young Wildes for more information and tips about planning an iPledge event.

A Month of Events in Danville

Organizer Mary Williams says that Sheltering Wings in Danville, Indiana plans a series of events to celebrate Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Sheltering Wings will kick off DVAM with a “Break a Sweat, Break the Cycle” 5K walk and 8K run, encouraging participants to “walk a mile in her shoes” on October 3 at Hummel Park in Plainfield. There will be a “kids korner” with face painting, games, clowns, door prizes and snacks for the community to enjoy.

On October 12, Sheltering Wings is organizing a free domestic violence training at St. Malachy Church in Brownsburg. Participants will learn about domestic violence, how to recognize it and how it affects families and communities. To close out the month, Williams says that Sheltering Wings will hold a candlelight vigil at Crossroads Christian Church in Avon on October 29 to remember those who have lost their lives due to domestic violence. For more information, email Mary Williams.

Press Conference Addressing Budget Cuts

To send a powerful message during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence will hold a news conference on the North Steps of the Capitol in Sacramento on October 5. Following the news conference, there will be a Special Hearing before the Select Committee on Domestic Violence at the Capitol to alert legislators about the seriousness of domestic violence and the impact budget cuts have on shelters and communities. State lawmakers recently eliminated the state’s Domestic Violence Program in a wave of budget cuts, and several shelters and domestic violence agencies have closed as a result. For more information, call 1-800-524-4765.

Take Back the Night March and Rally

Take Back the Night in Joliet, Illinois, is holding its 13th annual Take Back The Night March and Rally on October 8 in Bi-Centennial Park. It will include booths with resource information and a memorial to remember the women, their children and other female children murdered in Will County over the last ten years. Organizer Beth Ann May and her committee have also made arrangements with the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention to present StandUp – Men Moving from Standing By to Standing Up. Its mission is to engage men to be active participants and not bystanders in preventing violence against women. Chairperson of the event Jodi Wartenberg said, “Violence against women is a men’s issue as much as it is a women’s issue. This year’s program will enlighten the audience and show how men can work toward solutions to this epidemic problem.” For more information, click here or call 815-723-1497.

Peacekeepers Luncheon and March

Tri-County Help Center, Inc. in St. Clairsville, Ohio, is holding its annual Peacekeepers Luncheon on October 16 at the Belmont Hills Country Club to give out three awards. They include: the St. Clairsville Noon Rotary, which donated $2,500 for mattresses for the emergency shelter; Jason Harter, a probation officer at the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas, who is a member of the Monroe County Domestic Violence Task Force and a self-defense instructor; and Dr. Sarah Mahan-Hays, a professor at Ohio University Eastern and a past president and board member.

The following week, Tri-County Help Center, Inc. will hold a DVAM March. Organizer Paula Planey said marchers from the Help Center will walk to the Belmont County Courthouse for a short program. Reverend Laurie Armstrong will serve as the keynote speaker. Debbie Karras, a domestic violence survivor and author of Jagged Memories, will address the crowd. For more information about planning a luncheon or march, email Paula Planey.

Two Events with a Family Focus

Organizer Josephine Yearby is planning a two-part DVAM event on October 17 with a focus on “Families Against Domestic Violence; A House Divided Will Not Stand” in Durham, North Carolina. The morning workshop session at the North East Baptist Church will feature speakers from the Durham Police Department, a representative of the Durham Crisis Response Center, a physician from South Africa, the CEO of A Walk in My Shoes Marie Brodie, a high school guidance counselor, and a family who has experienced the trauma of losing a love one. In the evening at the Old School Enrichment Center, families will share songs, dance, poetry, spoken word, and other forms of entertainment. Yearby said, “Shoes we have collected from our church family will help set the stage for our event. These shoes will enter the church from all directions into the Sanctuary, with an empty front row pew to represent the family who didn’t make it to church today.” For more information, email Josephine Yearby.

Community Forum

Lane County, Womenspace, the Lane County Domestic Violence Council, and the Oregon Department of Human Services are hosting “Addressing Domestic Violence in Lane County: A Community Forum,” in Eugene on Wednesday, October 21 to commemorate Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The evening will begin with children’s activities and a special musical guest. Local human service agencies will have tables and share resources in the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza during the children’s event. Lane County Commissioners Rob Handy and Peter Sorenson and Mayor Kitty Piercy will host a town hall meeting in Harris Hall at the County building immediately following. Organizer Theya McCown says Womenspace will end the evening with a candlelight vigil outside the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza. For more information, email Theya McCown.

Workshop on Status of Women and Girls in Illinois

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Women & Girls Collective Action Network is holding a workshop to discuss the findings of its new report – The Status of Girls in Illinois 2009 – on October 22 at Chicago Freedom School. Organizer Melissa Spatz says participants will “learn more about how girls are experiencing violence in Chicago and Illinois, find out how girls are taking action to end violence, and plan ways advocates can work together to reverse these trends.” The first comprehensive report of its kind, The Status of Girls in Illinois 2009, utilizes existing data and research to present a full picture of girls’ health and well-being, addressing a wide spectrum of areas including sexuality, violence, incarceration, substance abuse, health, education and physical fitness. For more information about the report, email Melissa Spatz.

Grand Rounds on Domestic Violence

Dr. Liliana Hamlett in San Jose, California is organizing a “Grand Rounds on Domestic Violence” screening for faculty, medical residents and community guests at Santa Clarita Valley Medical Center on October 29. The panelists are: Police Captain Alana Forrest; Supervising Attorney for Family Violence in the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office Daniel Nishigaya; and Dr. Amy Laws, who specializes in internal medicine, diabetes, preventive cardiology and geriatrics. Dr. Hamlett said the event will begin with a basic introduction addressing the importance of screening and the prevalence of domestic violence. Panelists with criminal justice backgrounds will explain law enforcement protocol and how health care professionals can strengthen the prosecution of domestic violence cases with better documentation. For more information on how to organize a health-based DVAM event, email Dr. Hamlett.