October is Domestic Awareness Month, Public Encouraged to Wear Purple on Oct.16

ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo has proclaimed October 2013 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in New York State, and he encourages all New Yorkers to participate in the State’s annual Shine the Light on Domestic Violence campaign by wearing purple on Wednesday, Oct. 16.

Coordinated by the state Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV), the Shine the Light campaign promotes the use of the color purple – long associated with domestic violence awareness – in creative ways throughout October to raise awareness of the issue and efforts to combat it.  More than 500 entities across the state have participated in the campaign since it began in 2008.

According to the Governor’s office, New York is the only state in the nation to have an executive-level agency that has the sole mission of fighting and preventing domestic violence.

Victims of domestic violence and sexual assault can seek help 24 hours a day by calling New York State’s toll-free hotline: 1-800-942-6906 or 1-800-942-6908 (Spanish language).