St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church is going purple to help raise awareness during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Oct. 1 marked the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church is working to raise awareness.
“Each year, we try to raise awareness about the reality of abuse in our society, in our communities, and in our congregations. This year, we are attempting that by utilizing our parish building and, hopefully, engaging our community too,” Reverend Clyde Elledge said in an email to The Weekly News. “So we are lighting up our space, bathing it in a purple hue to highlight that October, among other worthy issues, is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.”
Elledge is collaborating with Safe Havens Interfaith Partnership Against Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse, which has been in operation since 1991, said its co-director and founder, Rev. Dr. Anne Marie Hunter.
“We’ve trained quite a few congregations in the Boston area and on the North Shore,” Hunter said. Safe Havens provides training to diverse faith communities on domestic and sexual violence, as well as elder abuse, as part of its Staying Safe with Faith program. “We teach how to respond when someone reaches out for help, but also how to do prevention, and the long-term social change that will help our communities move past violence,” Hunter said.
“The faith community can play an important part in helping people find safety,” Elledge said. By working with Safe Havens, Elledge said they can help people identify abuse.
“They can be empowered to take action and seek the services they need to escape abusive cycles,” Elledge said, adding that those who need help are also referred to Healing Abuse Working for Change (HAWC), which provides additional resources such as support groups, a hotline, shelter, and safety planning.
Elledge said the number of those who experience abuse and violence is “stunning,” and that based on CDC data, a member of his congregation has or will likely experience abuse.
“We all need to speak more plainly about the reality of abuse in our intimate relationships and encourage people to stop enduring this alone,” Elledge said, adding that the silence around abuse needs to be broken.
Hunter will present a project titled Shine a Light on Domestic Violence to the Marblehead Ministerial Alliance on Oct. 10 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Elledge said if we can break the silence that surrounds abuse, “we can work to provide ways forward that teach a healthier approach to treating our loved ones with the dignity and respect everyone deserves.”
