YWCA Purple Hands Pledge raises awareness of violence

Daily Emerald

October 17, 2005

In an effort to raise awareness about violence against women and minorities, the University’s YWCA is encouraging students to take a pledge to refrain from using words and hands to discriminate and thereby disrespect women and people of racially diverse backgrounds.
The YWCA’s annual Week Without Violence Purple Hands Pledge began Monday. Throughout this week, labeled National Week Without
Violence, members of the YWCA will be stationed at various locations on campus encouraging students to sign a petition agreeing to not use violence.
Students who sign up will be given a purple ribbon.

Meredith Fleming pins a purple ribbon on her jacket Monday afternoon in support of YWCA’s Week Without Violence. The YWCA will have a pledge table outside the University Bookstore all this week.

Supporters who wear the ribbon will help raise awareness about violence against women and minorities, said Stephanie Carriere, executive director of the University’s YWCA.
“It is our little step for helping prevent violence against women and other races,” she said.
At least 1 in 3 women worldwide will be beaten or sexually assaulted in her lifetime, according to a 1999 report by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
In the first day, more than 40 people signed the YWCA’s petition.
Carriere hopes the pledge will shine a new light on violence against racial minorities. More people are aware of domestic violence between a man and a women than violence against people of a different race, she said.
“We hope to have awareness heightened consistently,” said Alicia Soto, editor of YWCA’s magazine. “People think that racism doesn’t exist or inequality doesn’t exist.”
The YWCA’s Purple Hands Pledge is a way to make people aware of what they support and what is going on, she said.
Soto said YWCA has received support from victims of violence and the Broken Spirits Network, an online support group for victims of abuse.
This is the first year of the Purple Hands Pledge, but the YWCA hopes it will become an annual event.
The Week Without Violence Purple Hands Pledge was created after Carriere participated in a similar method of raising awareness at her high school in Portland.
The University’s YWCA is currently the only chapter using the pledge, but Carriere hopes it will be adopted by others.

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