SAN ANTONIO — The Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence (CCDV) is shining a purple light on an issue often kept in the dark.
The CCDV is asking people to participate in the countywide Purple Porch SA initiative this October to mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Judge Monique Diaz presides over the 150th Civil District Court. She’s also the co-chair of the CCDV. She said the purple lights are meant to serve as conversation-starters.
“For so long, the issue of domestic violence has really been stigmatized,” Diaz said. “You cannot run away from the issue of domestic violence anymore and I really hope that it will open up that conversation countywide.”
Diaz said Bexar County consistently ranks among the top five counties in Texas for domestic-violence-related homicides.
In 2020, Bexar County reported 36 family violence homicides, 20 of which were women murdered by male intimate partners. During that same year, the San Antonio Police Department Crisis Response Team served 14,542 family violence survivors and conducted 2,672 home visits, even as such visits were limited due to COVID-19 protocols.
“We know that domestic violence increases in times of stress and COVID is no exception,” Diaz said. “We're seeing that really across the globe. Domestic violence is a global pandemic. It is not unique to Bexar County, but we are experiencing it in Bexar County and we are really working hard to reduce those rates here locally.”
Diaz said raising awareness of the issue is the first step toward reducing rates of domestic violence in our community.
“Every person in our community has a role to play,” Diaz said. “You can make a difference by simply opening up that conversation and talking about the issue and connecting people with available resources.”
You can voice your support for healthy relationships by turning your porch purple, either by installing a purple lightbulb or adding a purple wreath or other purple décor to their entryway. Then, snap a photo of your decorated doorway and post it on social media using the hashtag #PurplePorchSA to amplify the message.
In addition, people can tag the CCDV on social media using the handle @dv-commission.
To learn more about Purple Porch SA, click here.