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O ctober is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and for me, that means purple rib- bons. JCADA, the Jewish Coalition against Domestic Abuse, has been sponsoring a purple ribbon campaign in October for the past five years. Each year, we try to put them in more places so that anyone who wants one can get one to show their support. This year, thanks to the 100 Mensches, our purple ribbons have been distributed to many of our local congregations for the month of October. I know that many of you will be in your congregations during this holy month, so look for a purple ribbon and wear it to show support for the many victims in our community who feel isolated and alone in the shame of their abusive relationships. Domestic Violence Awareness Month is often overshadowed by the October campaign for breast cancer awareness. Like many other social action move- ments, breast cancer awareness has gone from a silent, personal struggle to a pub- licly acknowledged movement. When my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer more than 20 years ago, it was a secret. We didn't speak about it outside of the family. However, with increasing rates of occurrence, advocates and medical professionals knew that the silence was deadly. As a result, the public learned that early detection saved lives, and a prevention movement began that brought it out of the shadows so that every woman would feel empowered to protect her breast health. The campaign was effective in several ways: Rates of death due to breast cancer have decreased, many segments of our society have joined the fundraising and awareness bandwagon and, most impor- tantly, as a mental health professional, people with breast cancer are less likely to feel isolated or stigmatized by the diagnosis. I dream about this type of support for those suffering in violent and abusive relationships. The statistics reveal the importance of this. According to Susan G. Komen, in 2013, 307,660 people in the United States were diagnosed with breast can- cer. According to the National Coalition against Domestic Violence, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. One in three women and one in four men have been victims of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime; more than 10 million people annually are abused. Our Jewish community is not immune to this. It does happen here, in the same proportions. There are many types of abuse: physical abuse, which includes pushing, shoving, trap- ping another person, slapping, punching or strangulation. Emotional abuse, which can be extremely destructive through the systematic demolition of someone's self-esteem through relentless criticism or degrada- tion. Financial abuse prevents someone from having access to the fam- ily's assets, or it could be giving someone an allowance for which they must be fully accountable, with no discretionary spending. Sexual abuse or exploitation is forcing another to engage in sexual acts against their will. All of these behaviors are acts of control and create a power dynamic where one person is in control and the other person is afraid. We can create a safer, more peaceful community. We need a movement, just like the one created for victims of breast cancer. We need purple ribbons on NFL uniforms. We need purple pizza boxes and purple yogurt container tops and purple 5K races and corporate sponsors of purple. We need to help every person feel safe in their relationships, and to know that they are supported by our community. This will take ALL of us. Please join our movement! Learn more about JCADA and the 100 Mensches. Wear a purple ribbon in October. You can find one at any Jewish communal agency or area synagogue or temple. If you are a man, become one of the 100 Mensches. This group of men has made a personal and financial com- mitment to be a part of the solution for domestic violence and abuse. We need your thoughts and your voices if we are to succeed. For more information on the 100 Mensches, visit 100mensches.org or contact Ellen Yashinsky Chute at (248) 592-2666. * Ellen Yashinsky Chute, LMSW, is director of JCADA and senior director of behavioral health services at Jewish Family Services. family focus » 26 October 20 • 2016 Ellen Yashinsky Chute Purple Ribbons b- physical violence by an in their lifetim e annual o 000000 The Berman App Available 248.661.1900 | theberman.org/koresh Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit D. Dan & Betty Kahn Building Eugene & Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus :0DSOH5RDG:HVW%ORRPƬHOG0, DJ Spooky Paul Dennnis Miller CLASSIC KORESH: 25TH ANNIVERSARY CLASSIC KORESH: 25TH ANNIVERSARY Wednesday, November 16 7:30 p.m. TICKETS START AT $33 Enjoy a selection of favorites from Israel's Roni Koresh's Dance Company's 25-year history, includ ing the newly commissioned "23: Deconstructing Mozart," a collaborative initiative driven by Koresh and multimedia artist Paul Miller, aka DJ Spooky. As the dancers move through this stunning allegro, stunning athleticism and compelling choreography appear front and center in timeless works. C E N T E R F O R T H E P E R F O R M I N G A R T S THE BERMAN