CASDA and the Douglas County Coordinated Community Response Team kicked off Domestic Violence Awareness Month with a Mayoral Proclamation and an opening ceremony on Tuesday, October 4th , in the atrium of the Douglas County Government Center. The event featured guest speakers including Superior Mayor Bruce Hagen, Superior Police Chief Nicholas Alexander, CASDA Domestic Abuse Program Coordinator, Carla Pehl, and Douglas County Board Chair Mark Liebaert. You can find Police Chief Alexander’s speech on the Superior Police Department Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/SuperiorPD/posts/10154657305171940), where you will also see photos of the courthouse illuminated in purple to recognize Domestic Violence Awareness.
The kick-off event also included a chance for all guests to plant purple flags on the Courthouse lawn to help “Paint Your Town Purple” (#paintyourtownpurple), a new Domestic Violence Awareness Month initiative for 2016. Our hope is that the sight of thousands of purple flags displayed throughout our community will help inspire important discussion about preventing domestic violence, supporting victims, and holding perpetrators accountable! If you would like a purple flag to display at your home or business during October, please contact Carla at CASDA, 715-392-3136. We will distribute them while supplies last! We invite everyone who displays a purple flag to take a selfie with your flag(s) — or simply photograph the flag itself — and post it on social media with the hashtag #paintyourtownpurple so that victims and survivors can see your support and so that CASDA can help showcase your efforts!
You can also support Domestic Violence Awareness Month by attending:
- “Roller-skating Toward Respect” at the World of Wheels, Sunday, October 16th, 5-7 pm
- “Love and Bruises: Lessons from Domestic and Dating Violence,” in the Yellowjacket Union at UW-Superior, Wednesday, October 26th, 5:30 – 8:00 pm
For more information, call CASDA at 715-392-3136.