October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Maine (WABI) - Thursday was ‘Purple Thursday’, a national day of action each October during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Folks are encouraged to wear purple and spread awareness about domestic violence.

It’s also a way for people to show their commitment to promoting healthy relationships.

The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence participated Thursday.

For more than 40 years, they’ve worked to help create change in how Mainers understand and respond to abuse.

“The first step to being free from pain is telling somebody about it,” said Francine Garland Stark, Executive Director of the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence. “We can be a good ally in figuring out what might happen to make you have more opportunity to be safe and happy in the world. No one has a right to treat you poorly.”

Partners for Peace is one organization doing just that.

They’re a resource center for Penobscot and Piscataquis counties, helping more than 1,400 people affected by domestic abuse annually.

They say there are plenty of ways you can support those affected by abuse.

”You can volunteer. You can donate to the organization, and you can show up to our events,” said Casey Faulkingham of Partners for Peace. “We have a very exciting event happening at the end of the month called Erin’s Run. It is not our event but it is an event that’s put on by community members and families and friends of the late Erin Woolley.”

Erin’s Run will take place on the Bangor Waterfront Sunday, October 30th.

You can register here.

If you or someone you know has been impacted by abuse you can call the statewide Domestic Abuse Helpline at 1-866-834-HELP or call Partners for Peace at 1-800-663-9909.

Advocates are available 24-hours a day, and it’s all confidential.

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