Purple Lights Illuminate Domestic Violence Awareness

(99.9 KTDY) - October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Faith House of Lafayette and Acadiana is asking people to put on a purple light outside of their home to show their support for those who are dealing with domestic violence.

Why Faith House Wants Lafayette Homes to Shine Purple Lights

The Shine a Light Campaign is aimed at letting everyone know that you support women and children, along with anyone else who is dealing with domestic violence. It shows that you and your family stand in solidarity with all victims of domestic violence.

By using a purple light on your porch or other area outside your home and businesses, you do the following:

Shed light on the issue of domestic violence in our community
Illuminate the night and show support for survivors of abuse
It serves to remind us that not every home is a safe place
It allows us to join the movement of HOPE for an end to domestic violence

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Domestic Violence: A Daily Reality in Acadiana

Each day, when preparing to share stories from our community with you, we review the arrest reports from several parishes to see what has happened during the previous 24 hours.

There is not a day that goes by that there aren't multiple arrests across Acadiana for domestic violence.

Often, people who are uninformed about the problem of domestic violence don't have any idea about how pervasive the problem is in Lafayette and Acadiana.

If you haven't experienced it, you may have no frame of reference for how terrible the situation is for women, children, and anyone in a situation where domestic violence happens.

Understanding the Emotional Impact on Victims and Families

As a child, I grew up in a very loving home, but it was also a home defined by the whims of a man who would take out his problems on the people in our household.

Domestic violence impacts everyone in a household emotionally and physically, and the damage stays with you throughout your lifetime. Again, if you haven't experienced it, you have no frame of reference, and that's ok. What you can do is show others that you care.

When we think of the word terror, most of us think of things that happen elsewhere. As a person who experienced it, I can tell you the word terror is exactly the word to describe what happens in a domestic violence situation. They control every aspect of your life, and you spend your life in "fight or flight" mode around that person, wondering when one little thing will set them off again.

Defining Terror: Living Under Domestic Violence

Take, for example, the definition of the word terror. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines terror with several definitions. They are as follows:

1. a state of intense or overwhelming fear.
2. violence or the threat of violence used as a weapon of intimidation or coercion.
3. a very frightening or terrifying aspect.
4. someone or something that inspires fear.

Now, imagine having to live like this with your children. Even when you escape, many abusers threaten, stalk, and tell lies about you to minimize what they have done to you.

Power and Control: How Abusers Maintain Control

According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, domestic violence is perpetrated to gain power and control over another person. Abusers will use a variety of methods to exert control over their victims.

Rockland Community College has a video about this very subject. It shares the Duluth, Minnesota's Domestic Violence Intervention Project's Power and Control wheel. This is what happens when someone is abusing another person.

Where to Purchase a Purple Light Bulb

Purchase a purple light bulb from Faith House by donating. Call them at 337-232-8954. That's also the number to call if you need information or assistance.

If you should choose, you can call 888-411-1333 for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

If you can't afford a donation, don't worry about that. Visit your local big-box store and purchase a purple light bulb. Display it on your porch, in your office, in your business, and anywhere else where you want to shed light on domestic violence.