October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and New Hope for Women is encouraging community members to take action and show their support for survivors through a variety of campaigns and events that the agency has organized throughout the month of October:
Healing Through Art gallery display
Healing Through Art is a special support group that New Hope for Women facilitates for survivors of domestic violence. New Hope for Women has partnered with the Patten Free Library in Bath and the Waldoboro Public Library to have several pieces of artwork created by members from the Healing Through Art support group on display as part of the agency’s annual survivor art exhibit.
Dates and locations are as follows:
Oct. 16-20, Patten Free Library, 33 Summer St., Bath
Oct. 1-31, Waldoboro Public Library, 958 Main St., Waldoboro
‘In Her Shoes’ interactive event
“In Her Shoes” is an interactive educational experience that allows participants to connect to the day-to-day reality for women experiencing domestic violence, helping participants to deepen their empathy, and hopefully encouraging them to take action. Community members are welcome to come and take part in this powerful event at the Patten Free Library in Bath on Tuesday, Oct. 16 from 5:30-7 p.m.
Glow Purple campaign
Glow Purple is an awareness campaign that consists of displaying the color purple during the month of October as a gesture of support to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking. The campaign began in 2010, when New Hope for Women partnered with several businesses on Main Street in Rockland; it has since grown to include many businesses in Belfast, Camden, Waldoboro, Damariscotta, Wiscasset, Bath, and Boothbay Harbor, where New Hope for Women distributed hundreds of strings of purple lights and posters to businesses. This collective action by so many individual agencies and businesses is a powerful message to send to a victim of domestic violence who may have been told by a controlling partner that nobody would believe them. Instead, businesses are banding together to show that we are a community that sees them and believes them – and that domestic violence is not and will not be tolerated.
For a full list of participating businesses and agencies, go to newhopeforwomen.org.
Purple-ribbon tattoo fundraiser
New Hope for Women has partnered with Sea Side Studios in Bath to provide patrons with the opportunity to choose from a variety of purple-ribbon tattoo design options at a reduced rate for the entire month of October. In addition, on Thursday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sea Side Tattoos will donate 100 percent of revenue generated from these tattoos to New Hope for Women. Call 442-8239 to book an appointment.
Sea Side Tattoos is located at 97 Commercial St., Bath and can be reached by phone at 443-8239.
Purple hair-streak campaign
New Hope with Women has partnered with several hair salons who are offering patrons the opportunity to have a purple streak dyed in their hair as a way to take action and show support for survivors of domestic violence. If people are interested in having this done, they should contact the following participating salons to inquire about the price and to set up an appointment:
The Best Little Hair House, 904 Main St., Waldoboro, 832-7692
The Look, 1416 Atlantic Highway, Waldoboro, 832-7070
Shear Artistry, 5 Townsend Ave., Boothbay Harbor, 633-7000
Aura Hair Design, 5 Oak St., Boothbay Harbor, 633-7000
Turning Heads Salon, 11 Elm St., Bath, 442-8889
For more information about the various campaigns or events scheduled for Domestic Violence Awareness Month or to learn more about the services New Hope for Women provides, call 594-2128 or go to newhopeforwomen.org.
New Hope for Women is the domestic-violence resource center serving Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, and Waldo counties.
