New York City Announces Its Annual Domestic Violence Awareness Month "NYC Go Purple Day" On October 21

Events Hosted Citywide to Spread Awareness & Share Resources with Survivors

NEW YORK, NY - The Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) announced its annual Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) campaign, “NYC Go Purple Day” and accompanying calendar of events to alert New Yorkers about the resources and services available to survivors throughout New York City. During DVAM, events are held around the city to raise awareness about domestic violence, recognize survivors, celebrate advocates and providers serving survivors, and share critical information about resources. On “NYC Go Purple Day” (October 21st) local buildings and landmarks across the city light up in purple, and New Yorkers are encouraged to wear purple to show support for survivors.

Domestic violence occurs among people of all races, cultures, religions, and income levels. It can happen to anyone regardless of age, gender, or sexual orientation. While domestic violence is considered one of the most under-reported crimes, in 2020 there were 233,006 domestic violence incident reports filed by the NYPD – an average of almost 640 a day. In 2020, there were 93,235 calls to New York City’s 24-hour Domestic Violence hotline at 1-800-621-HOPE (4673), which were up almost 15 percent from 2019. And the NYC Hope website of survivor resources had over 118,000 visits – an average of 325 visits a day.

“DVAM highlights the City’s efforts to keep our community safe and free from violence,” said Cecile Noel, Commissioner, NYC Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence. “You can join us in raising awareness about domestic violence during October and year-round by sharing vital information and resources with survivors. And you can also stand with us by wearing purple on NYC Go Purple Day. These powerful steps show unconditional support for survivors and strengthen our community response to domestic and gender-based violence.”

The de Blasio administration’s commitment to advancing the City’s responses to domestic and gender-based violence is supported with more than $14 million in new investments into innovative strategies and initiatives including:
NYC Domestic Violence Task Force

Created in 2016, the NYC Domestic Violence Task Force developed a comprehensive citywide strategy to end domestic and gender-based violence with thirty-two recommendations focusing on these four priorities: preventing violence and abusive behavior before it begins; increasing early reporting by victims; improving response once the abuse comes to the attention of the criminal justice system; and creating strategies for long-term violence reduction.

Opening of 5th New York City Family Justice Center (Staten Island)

In 2016, the City opened its fifth Family Justice Center on Staten Island. ENDGBV’s New York City Family Justice Centers are co‐located multidisciplinary service centers in each borough providing vital social services including mental health counseling, civil legal, and criminal justice assistance for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence and their children—all under one roof.

Early Relationship Abuse Prevention Program (Early RAPP)

ENDGBV, DOE and HRA provide healthy relationship training to over one hundred middle schools throughout the five boroughs. Since its 2018 launch, over 4,000 workshops and to close to 55,000 middle school students have received ERAPP programming designed to help them to identify unhealthy behaviors to prevent them from forming patterns of abuse while learning to build healthy relationship skills at a critical time in their development.

Interrupting Violence at Home

In 2018, the City announced its Interrupting Violence at Home Initiative: evidence and trauma-informed intervention models that address abusive behavior, and work to reduce future abuse in intimate partner relationships.

NYC Hope

The City launched its first-ever online resource portal in 2018, NYC HOPE, dedicated to helping survivors and providing information to city residents on how to help someone experiencing domestic or gender-based violence at nyc.gov/NYCHOPE.

“NYC Go Purple” is October 21, 2021
On “NYC Go Purple Day” local buildings and landmarks across the city will light up in purple including City Hall, the David Dinkins Municipal Building, 1 World Trade Center, the Bank of America Tower, Four Times Square, Gracie Mansion, the Parachute Jump (Coney Island), the Arsenal in Central Park, the Bronx County Courthouse, Brooklyn Borough Hall, Queens Borough Hall and Staten Island Borough Hall. New Yorkers can show their support for survivors by wearing purple and posting pictures to social media using the hashtags #DVAM2021 #ENDGBV #AwarenessHelpHope #GoPurple #NYCGoPurple #DVAM, and attending citywide DVAM events found on ENDGBV’s DVAM 2021 events calendar. ENDGBV’s 2021 Domestic Violence Awareness Month DVAM Resource Toolkit is available to the public to help promote DVAM 2021 and share survivor resources.

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About the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence
The Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) develops policies and programs, provides training and prevention education, conducts research and evaluations, performs community outreach, and operates the New York City Family Justice Centers. We collaborate with City agencies and community stakeholders to ensure access to inclusive services for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence (GBV). GBV can include intimate partner and family violence, elder abuse, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking. Read more about the term.

The NYC Family Justice Centers are co‐located multidisciplinary service centers providing vital social services, civil legal, and criminal justice assistance for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence and their children—all under one roof. For more information, visit nyc.gov/ENDGBV or visit us on visit us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.