Purple pumpkins shared with community to raise awareness of domestic violence
Transylvania University’s It’s On Us student organization is pulling out the paint brushes to help raise awareness of domestic violence this October. The group coordinated student volunteers to paint pumpkins purple in advance of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. On Tuesday, partners from across the community came to Transy to pick up pumpkins.
“They’re going to go out to different community organizations, whether that’s a nonprofit or a business. The purple pumpkin symbolizes businesses supporting people who have been affected by domestic violence,” Ashley Hill, assistant dean of students and director of student wellbeing, told Spectrum News.
“I think it’s incredibly important that we are drawing attention to such an issue and making sure that students recognize there are resources in our community,” said Cora Dotson ’23, president of It’s On Us.
Through Oct. 31, Lexington businesses and organizations will display the gourds to show that domestic violence can be found everywhere. Purple is the nationally recognized color for domestic violence awareness, and these pumpkins are part of a Peace Pumpkins campaign from the Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition and GreenHouse17.