Police Wearing Purple Bandanas During Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Members of Alexandria’s Police Department together with their service dogs wore purple bandanas during October in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Page updated on March 18, 2022 at 7:45 AM
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Police Wearing Purple Bandanas During Domestic Violence Awareness Month

A DCHS CONNECT NEWS HIGHLIGHT 

October 28, 2021--Members of Alexandria’s Police Department together with their service dogs wore purple bandanas during October in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

October was first declared as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in 1989. Since then, the month has been a time to acknowledge survivors and be a voice for the victims.

“The Alexandria K-9 Unit is happy to participate in the coordinated effort to address domestic violence in our community.  Alexandria is a very dog-friendly city, and we receive a lot of support from our residents.  We are happy to utilize our K-9 partners wearing the purple bandanas to help bring awareness to addressing domestic violence.” said Sergeant Kyle Russel, a police officer at Alexandria’s Police Department.

Domestic abuse is a major issue in the United States and around the world, and many nonprofit organizations work to provide critical support and services to survivors. It is prevalent in every community and affects all people regardless of age, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality.

Statistics posted on the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show men and women can both be victims of domestic violence and that one in five women reports having experienced severe physical violence from a partner during their lifetime, as do one in seven men.

Every year, more than 10 million men and women in the United States are subjected to domestic violence, in accordance to a fact sheet published by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), a nonprofit organization whose vision is to create a culture where domestic violence is not tolerated and society empowers survivors while holding abusers accountable.

In October, the City of Alexandria is reminding the community of ways to recognize domestic violence and where to find helpful resources. The Domestic Violence Program is working to raise awareness in a variety of ways. Outreach includes VDOT road signs with information for help on Duke Street near Landmark and on Route 1 near I-95, coffee sleeves at local coffee shops with the Domestic Violence hotline number, resource distribution to high school students, and the lighting of the Masonic Temple and the Alexandria Police Department in purple, the national color for domestic violence awareness.

The City’s Sexual Assault Center and Domestic Violence Program hotlines are available 24/7, and advocates are ready to listen and help. Call 703.683.7273 for the Sexual Assault Hotline or 703.746.4911 for the Domestic Violence Hotline. Confidential crisis support and chat online is also available at The National Sexual Assault Online Hotline.

For more information about the Sexual Assault Center or Domestic Violence programs and resources for survivors and those who support them, visit alexandriava.gov/SexualAssault or alexandriava.gov/DomesticViolence.