Background Information on the Ribbons

National Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October) and Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April) are both represented by two different colored ribbons, purple and teal, respectively.

Women’s organized protests against violence began in the late 1970s in England, with Take Back the Night marches. These women-only protests emerged in direct response to the violence that women encountered as they walked the streets at night. These activities became more coordinated and soon developed into a movement that extended to the United States and, by 1978, the first Take Back the Night events in the U.S. were held in San Francisco and New York City. Over time, sexual assault awareness activities expanded to include the issue of sexual violence against men and men’s participation in ending sexual violence.

By the early 1980s, substantial interest developed in coordinating activities to raise awareness of violence against women. As a result, time was set aside during October to raise awareness of violence against women issues. Over time, October became the principle focus of domestic violence awareness activities. Sexual assault advocates looked for a separate time to focus attention on sexual assault issues.

In the late 1980s, the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NCASA) informally polled state sexual assault coalitions to determine when to have a national Sexual Assault Awareness Week. A week in April was selected. Over time, however, some advocates began focusing attention on sexual violence throughout the month of April. In the late 1990s, many advocates began coordinating activities throughout the month of April on a regular basis, promoting an idea for a nationally recognized month for sexual violence awareness activities.

From 2000-2001, the Resource Sharing Project (RSP) and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), polled state, territory, and tribal coalitions and found that the color teal was the preferred color for sexual assault awareness and prevention and April was the most preferred month to coordinate national sexual assault awareness activities, respectively. As a result, Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) was first observed nationally in April 2001.

Since then, the NSVRC has continued to promote a degree of national unity in voice and action regarding SAAM activities, encourage interaction and feedback from across the nation, and build momentum based on the previous years’ activities. The NSVRC has provided resources to advocates nationwide to help them plan SAAM activities in their communities during April and throughout the year. These resources have included publications (e.g., newsletters, booklets, and directories); prevention materials (e.g., palm cards and online resources); and awareness-raising products (e.g., pins, posters, stickers, and postcards). Additionally, the NSVRC has taken an active role in making sexual violence awareness and prevention resources available to the U.S. territories and the healthcare community. More recently, the NSVRC has placed increasing emphasis on the prevention of sexual violence. As a result, its SAAM campaigns have included a greater focus on prevention as well. (Thanks to Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape)

What began close to two decades ago in scattered communities as a visible gesture of support for survivors and victims of domestic violence, today has become one of the most widely-recognized symbols of the battered women's movement-the purple ribbon.

The exact history of the purple ribbon is somewhat difficult to pinpoint.  Over the years, a number of sources have been credited with originating the use of the purple ribbon as a unifying symbol of courage, survival, honor and dedication to ending domestic violence.

Across the country, families and friends of victims have adopted the purple ribbon to remember and honor their loved ones who have lost their lives at the hands of a person they once loved and trusted.  Shelters and local battered women's programs use the purple ribbon to raise awareness about the crime of domestic violence in their communities.  The purple ribbon also has been recognized by State Legislatures in proclamations commemorating October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Purple ribbons are made into pins and passed out at local events...they're embroidered on the t-shirts, hats and bags of those passionate about ending the violence...they're tied to the antennae of police cars...they're hung on doors, wrapped around trees, draped over fences at scenes.

In addition to the demonstration of support for victims and advocates, the display of purple ribbons throughout a community conveys a powerful message that there's no place for domestic violence in the homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, or schools of it citizen's. (thanks to the Ohio Domestic Violence Network)