October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and in effort to raise awareness Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo is encouraging residents to wear purple this Thursday, October 20th. Security Mutual has also agreed to light its downtown building with purple lights to help continue the conversation surrounding domestic violence.

“In order to put an end to domestic violence, we first have to first admit there is a problem,” said Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo. “Wearing purple continues the conversation and helps address the stigma attached it.”

Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of coercive behavior, including physical, sexual, economic, emotional, and psychological abuse. In the United States, one in four women and one in seven men will experience physical domestic violence in their lifetimes and 15.5 million children in the nation live in households in which domestic violence occurred at least once in the past year. In New York State, there were 123 domestic homicides in 2014. Locally, RISE provides residential, advocacy, and counseling services to victims and their families, as well as works to raise awareness about domestic violence.

“It is critically important to keep an ongoing dialogue about domestic violence,” said Rebecca Allerton, Executive Director of RISE. “Education and awareness help identify instances of domestic abuse and by doing so allows professionals to help those in need as well as take action to prevent violence before it happens.”

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call RISE’s free, confidential hotline at 607-754-4340 or 1-877-754-434O. For additional information, you can visit RISE’s website at www.rise-ny.org.

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