Every October, communities around the world unite to shine a light on the devastating impact of domestic abuse, to support survivors, and to call for collective action to end abuse.
Why is October Domestic Abuse Awareness Month?
The origins of Domestic Abuse Awareness Month date back to the United States in 1981, when the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence organised a “Day of Unity” to connect advocates nationwide. This day soon grew into a week and later expanded into a month of awareness. By 1989, the U.S. Congress officially designated October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, recognising the urgent need for national attention and coordinated action.
Since then, the movement has spread globally, with charities, advocacy groups, and local authorities in many countries adopting October as a focal point for awareness campaigns, survivor support, and public engagement. Wearing purple has become a unifying symbol, representing courage, survival, and hope.
In the UK, while October is not formally legislated as an awareness month, it has been embraced by frontline responders, statutory services and national charities as a vital moment to highlight the epidemic of domestic abuse, challenge stigma, and drive forward positive change.
Why Domestic Abuse Awareness Month Matters
Domestic abuse is not only widespread but deeply damaging to individuals, families, and communities.
- In the year ending March 2024, 4.8% of adults aged 16+ (around 2.3 million people) reported experiencing domestic abuse in England and Wales (ONS).
- Police in England and Wales recorded 1.35 million domestic abuse-related incidents and crimes, with 851,062 flagged as domestic abuse crimes, representing 15.8% of all recorded crime (ONS).
- Around 72.5% of recorded victims are women, though men are also significantly affected (ONS).
- Over a lifetime, an estimated 9.9 million adults (20.5%) in England and Wales have experienced domestic abuse (ONS).
To explore more insights, visit our resource: Domestic Abuse in the UK: What the Statistics Tell Us. These figures show why October remains such an essential moment to raise awareness and push for stronger protections.
Awareness campaigns provide a vital opportunity to shine a spotlight on the realities of abuse and its impact on individuals, families, and communities. They empower survivors to know their rights and access help sooner, while also encouraging frontline services, employers, and communities to recognise the signs of abuse and take action. Most importantly, they mobilise partners, supporters, and the wider public to stand together and say clearly and unequivocally: abuse is unacceptable.
Our Role: WEPROTECT
At the Domestic Abuse (DA) Alliance, we are committed to accelerating access to legal support and protection for anyone living with abuse. Our WEPROTECT referral service is transforming the response to domestic abuse by:
- Enabling immediate victim referral by police forces and frontline partners.
- Providing access to specialist legal expertise, representation, and Legal Aid.
- Offering pro bono support or advice for those without financial means.
- Supplying partners with real-time case tracking and data insights to monitor impact.
- Directly supporting survivors who contact our helpline or complete an online referral.
Since launch, WEPROTECT has managed over 60,000 referrals and secured over 4,000 protection orders, helping survivors begin to feel safe again.
This October: Take the Purple Promise
This October, we will be raising awareness of domestic abuse throughout the month by sharing knowledge and resources to support survivors across our online platforms. Alongside this, we invite you to take part in our #PurplePromise campaign.
- Show your support with anything purple: it could be clothing, a scarf, nail polish, purple eyeshadow, a notebook, or even your favourite mug. Take a photo with your purple item and add your personal promise: one action you’ll take to stand against abuse, whether it’s speaking up, supporting a friend, or raising awareness.
- Wear purple this October and share a photo with your promise – one action you’ll take to stand against abuse, whether it’s speaking up, supporting a friend, or raising awareness.
- Use our Purple Post template to write and share your promise online.
Remember to include #PurplePromise when you post, so that together we can create a powerful, visible movement of solidarity and action.
Partner Toolkit
To support our referral partners, community organisations, and supporters, we have developed a Domestic Abuse Awareness Month Toolkit, which includes:
- Downloadable posters, banners, and social media graphics.
- Editable templates for creating your own Purple Promise.
- Guidance for sensitive and impactful communication.
The toolkit makes it easy to take part, raise awareness, and stand with survivors.
Please click on the links to download
- Domestic Abuse Awareness Month Poster
- Domestic Abuse Awareness Month Digital Banner
- Domestic Abuse Awareness Social Media Graphic 1
- Domestic Abuse Awareness Social Media Graphic 2
- Domestic Abuse Awareness Social Media Graphic 3
- Purple Promise Poster
- Purple Promise Templates
- Communication Guide
