Police are encouraging businesses, government and non-government agencies and the community to decorate their premises or homes with purple lights or decorations this month to show solidarity for the Purple Light Nights Campaign, a month-long drive to shine a light on intimate partner violence.
The campaign began in 2006 in Covington, Washington. It is now in 24 U.S. states, and three Canadian provinces, including 12 communities in British Columba.
The colour purple is the symbolic colour of domestic violence and is used to represent courage, creativity, wisdom, dignity and peace.
Of about 50,000 calls for service the Nanaimo RCMP receives annually, an average of four per day are reports of conflict or violence within an intimate partnership.
“We are excited to be a part of this international campaign to draw attention to intimate partner violence,” said Const. Sherri Wade, Nanaimo RCMP intimate partner investigator. “This would not have happened without the hard work of Christy Wood, the Nanaimo RCMP community policing co-ordinator and Laura Dean with Nanaimo RCMP victim services.”
The Nanaimo RCMP is a member of the Nanaimo Domestic Violence Unit, a collaboration between the Ministry of Children and Families, community and police-based victim services and the B.C. Community Corrections Division.
For more information, go to nanaimocpvolunteers.ca/purple-light-nights-october-2021.
