Mayor Adams Announces City Hall, Municipal Buildings, Iconic New York City Sites To Be Lit Purple In Honor Of Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October 19, 2023

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced that City Hall and a number of other municipal buildings and iconic sites across the city will be lit purple tonight for the 10th annual “NYC Go Purple Day,” in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The lighting of buildings across the five boroughs will raise awareness and underscore the Adams administration’s commitment to supporting survivors of domestic violence, their families, and communities.

“Our administration is addressing domestic and gender-based violence through prevention and intervention efforts across city agencies,” said Mayor Adams. “An integral part of our efforts involves spreading awareness of domestic violence and the resources available to survivors throughout the five boroughs. I invite all New Yorkers to join me during Domestic Violence Awareness Month and let survivors know they are never alone.”

“I urge all New Yorkers to join us during Domestic Violence Awareness Month and learn more about the far-reaching effects of domestic, intimate-partner, and gender-based violence,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “Join the city’s annual campaign and help survivors and their families connect to our comprehensive network of resources to navigate closer to safety and healing.”

“Domestic Violence Awareness Month is an opportunity to shine a bright light on the often-overlooked public health crisis of domestic and gender-based violence,” said Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) Commissioner Cecile Noel. “Our office takes a coordinated, holistic approach to addressing the needs of survivors and interrupting cycles of violence throughout the city. We are grateful for the support across the Adams administration and the ongoing partnerships with community-based organizations in the anti-violence space, without whom we could not do this work. Join us as we raise awareness of the dynamics and impacts of domestic violence, lift up the stories and experiences of survivors, and share vital information and resources to help keep survivors safe and free from violence.”

In addition to City Hall, the following city buildings and iconic New York City sites will be lit up purple tonight at sundown:

City Buildings Being Lit Up:

• The Arsenal in Central Park: 830 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10065
• The Parachute Jump in Coney Island: Riegelmann Boardwalk, Surf Avenue (between West 37th Street & Brighton 15th Street), Brooklyn, NY 11235
• Bronx County Courthouse: 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451
• The David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building: 1 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007
• Gracie Mansion: East 88th Street & East End Avenue, New York, NY 10028
• One Police Plaza: 1 Police Plaza, New York, NY 10038
• Staten Island Borough Hall: 10 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301

Iconic New York City Sites Being Lit Up:

• One World Trade Center: 285 Fulton Street, New York, NY  10007
• One Bryant Park: 1 Bryant Park, New York, NY  10036
• One Five One: 151 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036

While domestic violence is considered one of the most under-reported crimes, there were 272,484 domestic violence incident reports filed by the New York City Police Department in 2022 — an average of 747 a day. In the same year, there were 85,458 calls to New York City’s 24-hour domestic violence hotline at 1-800-621-HOPE (4673), with 7,648 unique requests for shelter. The NYC Hope website of survivor resources had 101,000 visits — an average of almost 277 visits a day — with 54,300 new visitors.

The Adams administration’s commitment to advancing the city’s response to domestic and gender-based violence is supported with multiple innovative strategies and initiatives including:

• The ABCs of Healthy Relationships: ENDGBV has launched “The ABCs of Healthy Relationships” interactive web-based toolkits to help elementary school students develop healthy relationships with their friends and classmates as building blocks for healthier relationships.

• Respect and Responsibility: ENDGBV’s free, non-mandated Abusive Partner Intervention Program for individuals who have caused harm in their intimate relationships uses a trauma-informed curriculum that aims to have participants take accountability, stop causing harm, and change behavior. Programming launched in February 2022 with three city-contracted providers that facilitate introductory sessions and multi-week groups in community and support participants with access to case management and other services.
• Street Harassment Prevention Survey and Resource Guide: The New York City Street Harassment Prevention Advisory Board (SHPAB) recently launched a citywide outreach effort to conduct a survey on the nature, prevalence, and impact of street harassment on New Yorkers. The SHPAB is co-chaired by ENDGBV and the New York City Commission on Gender Equity, which sits within the Mayor’s Office of Equity. This survey will help the advisory board better understand how and where New Yorkers experience street harassment; identify people and communities most at risk; and understand what kind of prevention, education, and training resources city agencies, community members, and individuals can utilize to address this form of violence. The resource guide contains important information on how New Yorkers can prevent and respond to street harassment, including steps people can take both during and following an incident of harassment — either as a target or as a bystander — as well as resources available to support someone who has been harassed.