Even if you’re staying home, the London Abused Women’s Centre is encouraging residents to wear purple on Friday in support of the Shine the Light campaign.
It’s the 11th annual “Wear Purple Day,” which LAWC launched to show women who are experiencing gender-based violence they are not alone.
LAWC spokeswoman Fabienne Haller said there’s been a significant increase in calls for service during the pandemic.
“Since COVID, we’ve had an increase of 28 per cent in service demand here at the agency,” Haller said. “We know that a lot of women and girls are currently in very difficult circumstances where they are often isolated at home with their abuser.”
If you’re wearing purple Friday, campaign officials are encouraging you to post a picture on social media using #ShineTheLight has the hashtag.
Haller said the campaign aims to bring the issue out into the open.
“Violence against women and woman abuse is something that of course happens behind closed doors, and it’s very secret, and to dispel that and bring it out of the darkness and shining the light on it, we start the conversation.”
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Wear Purple Day marks the halfway point of the campaign, which has grown significantly since its launch in 2010, going international in 2017 as it spread to Sweden and Australia.