Saving Grace is raising awareness all month long in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). Friday, October 11th Saving Grace will be painting the “M” on the hill located below the Willow Creek Trail (M trail) in Madras, purple in honor of DVAM. This M is visible throughout Madras, and a great awareness tool.
Purple is the color of hope and will be represented on the Madras “M” for the rest of the month. Saving Grace will be working with the Girls Advisory Board, and will have over a dozen teenage girls helped paint the M on October 11.
Over 20 gallons of purple paint was donated by Madras Paint & Glass, Phil’s Ace Hardware and BestCare Treatment Services. Thank you to these local businesses for helping raise awareness in Central Oregon.
Please contact Carino Bautista (541-815-9820) for those interested in taking photos/film footage of the event.
Here is some brief history on DVAM;
Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) evolved from the “Day of Unity” held in October 1981 and conceived by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The intent was to connect advocates across the nation who were working to end violence against women and their children. The Day of Unity soon became an entire week devoted to a range of activities conducted at the local, state, and national level.
The activities conducted were as varied and diverse as the program sponsors but had common themes:
-Mourning those who have died because of domestic violence
-Celebrating those who have survived
-Connecting those who work to end violence
These three themes remain a key focus of DVAM events today. In October 1987, the first Domestic Violence Awareness Month was observed. That same year marks the initiation of the first national domestic violence toll-free hotline. In 1989, the U.S. Congress passed Public Law 101-112 designating October of that year as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Such legislation has passed every year since with NCADV providing key leadership in this effort. Each year, the Day of Unity is celebrated the first Monday of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Saving Grace provides confidential and free family violence and sexual assault services and promotes the value of life without violence.
For more information visit www.saving-grace.org or contact Lauren Biskind at 541-382-9227.
