Bellas, if you know me then you know my love for the color purple goes back long and far. It’s been my favorite color since I could first say the word. It’s become my signature shade, in lipstick and in life. And now, I’ve found a new reason for loving and respecting purple. The Allstate Foundation’s Purple Purse gives some real depth and meaning to my favorite color, and it’s all about protecting domestic violence survivors through financial empowerment.
The Purple Purse is a symbol, an opportunity to publicly show awareness, and it’s also a fundraising campaign that has been creating safety solutions for survivors in need. The intent is to raise awareness to an epidemic that doesn’t get nearly enough attention – financial abuse. Most people I’ve discussed this with know that domestic violence involves physical abuse, or verbal abuse. Most people I’ve mentioned this to have no idea that financial abuse is a factor in 98% of all cases of domestic violence.
It is an invisible weapon, an effective threat to keep survivors bound in a situation they feel powerless to leave. It is said to be the number one reason domestic violence survivors stay or wind up returning to an abusive relationship; because they are made to believe that they don’t have the wherewithal or the resources to leave. I am proud to join the cause, and support the Allstate Foundation Purple Purse to shine a light on this cycle, to inform those who might find themselves in this situation, and to teach them that it’s possible to leave it behind and move into an independent, bright future.
So how can you help? How do you show your support for this too-often overlooked cause?
You can show your support of domestic violence survivors by buying the limited edition purple purse designed by Allstate Foundation Purple Purse ambassador Kerry Washington, available beginning September 25th. OR you can turn any purse into a Purple Purse with a Purple Purse charm that carries the true story of a survivor who has used financial empowerment to free herself from abuse. The charms themselves are quite chic, purple fringe tassels that look great on any bag. The Purple Purse charms won’t be available to order online until October, but then you can visit PurplePurse.com to order a charm and join the movement. I hope to see MANY women rocking them this fall, creating a statement that can eventually become just as recognizable and as much of a rallying cry as pink ribbons are for the breast cancer awareness movement.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and here’s an alarming fact via the Allstate Foundation, “…one in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime – that’s more than breast cancer, ovarian cancer and lung cancer combined.” That’s a scary statistic, but one we have the power to be agents of change for, by spreading information and inspiration. Click here to get the facts about what the Allstate Foundation does, via PurplePurse.com. Also you can visit Facebook.com/PurplePurse, or check them out on Twitter @PurplePurse.
If you or someone you know needs immediate help from a dangerous situation, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
Disclosure: this is a sponsored post through my work with the Allstate Purple Purse foundation.
This was great very inspiring. I think i have to get involved more.