Governor Roy Cooper declared October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month to bring attention to this national issue and encourages everyone to wear purple on October 20th to help spread awareness. More than 12 million women and men living in the U.S. experience some form of abuse by an intimate partner over the course of a single year according to estimates by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
“Domestic violence hurts families in many ways and must be addressed head on,” Governor Cooper said. “We’ll continue educating and raising awareness, helping survivors, assisting law enforcement and the court system and supporting organizations that give aid to people during the toughest times in their lives.”
“The rate of domestic violence is staggering across our state and country,” said NC Department of Administration Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell. “To improve outcomes, we must continue to educate communities on the warning signs of domestic abuse as well as prevention methods to help break the cycle.”
Purple is the nationally recognized color of domestic violence, representing courage, peace, and dedication to ending violence which often includes physical, mental, sexual, emotional and/or financial abuse. On October 20th, North Carolinians are encouraged to help spread awareness by wearing purple and sharing images across social media using #WearPurpleDay.
In 2019, Governor Cooper signed a “safe days” Executive Directive to support survivors of domestic violence. The directive permits eligible state employees in cabinet agencies to use earned leave for “safe days,” which are necessary absences from work due to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.
In North Carolina alone, more than 75,000 adults and children received domestic violence services and over 94,000 crisis calls were received from individuals seeking domestic violence assistance across the state during fiscal year 2021-22. The NC Department of Administration’s Council for Women and Youth Involvement provides funding to 104 domestic violence programs in 97 North Carolina counties. These programs offer shelter, counseling, 24-hour crisis lines, transportation, and court and advocacy services.
For additional resources including a directory of state-funded domestic violence agencies, visit the NC Council for Women and Youth Involvement website.
About NCDOA and the NC Council for Women and Youth Involvement
The NC Department of Administration acts as the business manager for North Carolina state government. Under the leadership of Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell, the department oversees government operations and advocacy programs. The department's advocacy programs help to promote and assist diverse segments of the state's population that have been traditionally underserved. NCDOA’s Council for Women and Youth Involvement division advises the governor, state legislators and state leaders on issues that impact women and youth.