reposted from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website

DVAM Resources and Activities

Guidelines

  • Plan as far ahead as possible and involve battered women and  children as much as possible.
  • Contact your state coalition or network to coordinate and  strengthen efforts in your state and region.
  • Be sure that the media is aware of your plans. The suggested national observance is a candlelight ceremony  on or near the National Day of Unity to  remember those who have suffered and died from domestic violence and to celebrate the work  being done to end violence. Choose a significant public place to hold the vigil.
  • Be creative. Include music, poetry, dance,  moments of silence, and stories shared by women.
  • Purple is the color for  the Month’s activities. Wear purple ribbons to bring national  awareness to the issues faced by battered women and their children.
  • Start small if you wish, but plan now to do  something during October. Make Domestic Violence Awareness Month part of your evolving  herstory.

Activities and Ideas

  • Ribbon Campaign: Distribute purple ribbons to clergy, police chiefs, judges, librarians, emergency room personnel, and others in your community.
  • Table Tent Campaign: Print table tents with a reminder that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and information about services and how to access them. Distribute table tents to area restaurants and hospital cafeterias.
  • Utility Company Campaign: Ask local utility companies to include a message in their October bills. (Sometimes banks are also willing to include information in their monthly statements.)
  • Library Displays: Contact public libraries in your area and provide them with materials for a display. Church Campaign: Send a mass mailing to all religious institutions in your area asking them to address the issue from the pulpit or in their newsletter during October.
  • Children’s Campaign: Have children from the shelter write thank you cards with painted hand prints on them to be distributed to police departments, judges, probation officers and prosecutors in the county.
  • Chili Cook-Off: Have a chili cooking contest with prizes and entertainment. Invite individual cooks, teams and restaurants to compete, with tasting open to the public. The proceeds benefit the local shelter.
  • Clothesline Project Display: Display tee-shirts created by survivors of domestic violence in a public place. The shirts depict their stories, their pain and their hopes. Teen Dating Violence Essay Contest: Hold essay contests in area schools with an awards ceremony.
  • Wish List Drive: Put posters in area beauty salons displaying the shelter’s wish list and making literature and information available. For every item contributed, the person’s name is entered in a drawing for a prize.
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