YWCA promoting Purple Lights event

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The YWCA of Van Wert County invites Van Wert County residents and businesses to cover the county in purple lights for the month of October for the ninth annual Purple Light Nights event.

The color purple is recognized as the international awareness color symbolic of domestic violence. One in four women and one in nine men will experience some sort of intimate partner violence, which could include physical, emotional, financial or mental abuse. For the entire month of October, areas outside of the Van Wert County Courthouse and the Municipal Court Building as well various businesses and homes will be illuminated in purple to bring awareness to domestic violence.

The lights serve many purposes such as remembering domestic violence homicide victims, honoring the survivors who have overcome their violent situation and they represent a beacon of hope to current victims letting them know that help is available when they are ready to leave their abuser.

Residents, organizations and businesses are invited to purchase strands of purple lights to hang from porches, store windows, or landscaping. All light orders will include a Purple Light Night yard sign and other items are also available including a purple yard sign and Purple Patron Sponsorship. Sales are underway and will end September 7. and orders may be placed with a credit card online by clicking here. For those who prefer to pay with cash or check, a form can be printed here.

The Purple Patron sponsorship is the perfect way for businesses to show their support to the YWCA and bring awareness to domestic violence while receiving low-cost, high impact advertising benefits.

“Purple Patron sponsors receive two strands of lights along with three years of various advertising,” YWCA Outreach Coordinator Julie Schaufelberger said. “Their logo will be on display the entire month of October at the Courthouse alongside the purple lights downtown and they also receive their logo and tagging of their business multiple times on four YWCA social media platforms during the month of October.”

The YWCA Survivor Services programs offer emergency and long term residency and services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Help is available regardless of gender or sexual orientation. The YWCA offers a 24-7 hotline (567.259.9501) for victims to seek assistance.

Additional Domestic Violence Awareness events will be announced in September in print and on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkd In) and on the YWCA website events page. The YWA of Van Wert County is an agency of the United Way of Van Wert County and the Van Wert County Foundation.