CCSS hosts Password: Purple event

Tinley Park, IL – Domestic violence is a topic often strayed away from. Many people are too uncomfortable or unable to speak out and let their voices be heard. With so much controversy in recent news, it’s time for everyone to speak up and speak out. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month. This is a time for organizations, like the Crisis Center for South Suburbia (CCSS), to reach out and be a resource for so many that go unheard. During the entire month of October, CCSS will provide the community with ways to help, events to attend, resources and much more!

To begin the month, CCSS will host a free DV Awareness event, Password: Purple, on Saturday, October 3rd from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Tinley Park Library, 7851 Timber Drive. The Password: Purple event will feature two short information sessions on dynamics of domestic violence, ways to help, survivor stories and a candle lighting ceremony. CCSS encourages survivors, friends, family, community members and people of all ages to attend. Free information regarding CCSS and its services will be available. Free hot dogs and chips will be served to the first 100 attendees.

In October 1987, the first Domestic Violence Awareness Month was observed. Today, CCSS continues the tradition with Password: Purple, acknowledging the “secrets” behind closed doors that hide abuse in our community and opening doors for victims to become aware of the resources available to them. Kerri Twietmeyer, Development Assistant and creator of Password: Purple, hopes to engage the community with this often unvisited topic. “People have a perception about domestic violence, and for many reasons they usually don’t associate it with themselves or people that they know. It can build up over time, almost imperceptibly. Domestic violence is a pattern of trying to gain control over another person through intimidating, manipulating, blaming, belittling or hurting them. Password: Purple is really about putting domestic violence in the context of people’s real lives and giving them the resources to do something about it, whether that’s reaching out to get help for themselves or someone they know.”

In recognition of the month, CCSS will be hosting events such as the Auxiliary Tag Day, attending speaking engagements such as the Worth Library and finding ways to spread the word like #PurpleThursday. They will also be hosting discussions on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to engage the community and spread the word. To learn more, visit the website, www.crisisctr.org, hover over the ‘Events’ tab and select ‘DV Awareness Month’. A calendar of events, myths and facts about DV, resources and much more are available. By working together as a community, we show support to victims of domestic violence and provide a platform for their voices to be heard.

The Crisis Center for South Suburbia is a non-profit community organization that provides emergency shelter and other essential services for individuals and families victimized by domestic violence. Learn more at www.crisisctr.org.