By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services is selling purple lightbulbs at several Hays businesses in conjunction with the national Purple Light Nights campaign, which began in Covington, Wash.
“The idea behind it is to help bring awareness to the number of people who experience domestic violence,” said Jennifer Hecker, Options executive director.
“It’s to send a message out in the month of October that we will not tolerate, we don’t want domestic violence in our community and we’re here to support those who are suffering in silence right now,” she said. “We’re celebrating those who’ve come out the other side of domestic violence and to let people who are now experiencing it know there is a place to go and a community of people here to support you.”
Homeowners are encouraged to replace their regular porch lightbulbs with a purple lightbulb this month. Businesses can show their support by placing purple string lights in their store windows.
Purple lightbulbs supporting Options are available for $2 at Breathe Coffee House, Simply Charmed, Be Made and H2o Float Cryo Massage.
A new awareness event this month is a poetry reading co-hosted by Options and Sigma Tau Delta, Fort Hays State University’s international English Honor Society chapter.
The free event is part of a regional conference in Hays. It will held 7 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18 at Breathe Coffee House, 703B Main.
People can come and read a piece of literature or poetry that they’ve written or just listen.
“The pieces don’t have to be about domestic violence but what we find a lot of times with poetry specifically is that the medium truly lends itself to people who have been oppressed and have been traumatized,” said Shaelin Sweet, community advocate and an English major. “It’s a very good outlet for that creativity and that hurt, but also for that strength and that power to flow.”
The nonprofit agency serves 18 counties in northwest Kansas and provides free confidential services.
“We don’t force people to report to law enforcement. All of our services are survivor-driven. Their participation is voluntary,” Hecker explained.
Help is also available to family and friends of abuse victims who often don’t know what to say or not to say to their loved one.
“We’re here to help people navigate through this very difficult time and to make sure victims have full wrap-around support to help them move into the healing phase.”
The Options hotline is staffed 24 hours a day at 1-800-794-4624. Information is also available on the Options Facebook page or website www.help4abuse.org.