ADAPT Kerry will today (Friday) launch their take on 'Go Purple' as part of a national day of awareness for local domestic violence services. The Kerry Women’s Refuge and Support Services is asking people to go online and ‘Pass the Purple Rose’ as a show of support both for the women and children they work with who experience domestic violence and coercive control and a show of support for ADAPT Kerry who offer refuge, telephone support and outreach support across Kerry.

ADAPT Kerry is one of the 39 frontline service members of Safe Ireland across the country. The colour purple is often associated with strength, nobility, creativity, wisdom, dignity, peace, love and independence. It is a colour which also aptly represents the expert, dedicated, and long-term work of frontline domestic violence workers supporting survivors along their often fraught and complex journey from abuse and entrapment to freedom and safety.

ADAPT Kerry chose a purple rose because in mythology, roses were associated with secrecy and rose carvings in a room were reportedly a reminder that discussions were be held in confidence. A purple rose expresses that you value that person’s opinion. ADAPT Kerry work to tackle the silence that surrounds domestic violence and are there when women want to reach out and seek support. You can help them get their message out by ‘Passing the Purple Rose’ to friends and asking them to nominate their friends to do the same. You can find them on Facebook and Instagram with the keywords 'Kerry Refuge'.

SUPPORT

“The outpouring of support we have seen from the public since the start of this pandemic has been fantastic,” Catherine Casey, General Manager in ADAPT Kerry said. “There is an opportunity now to reach out to families and let them know that we are here to support. We wish to thank everyone who has supported us in our work and for donating to our service."

Since the start of the pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the numbers looking for support from a domestic violence service. According to Safe Ireland’s Tracking the Shadow Pandemic Reports, over 2,000 women and over 500 children, on average, received support from a domestic violence service each month from March to December 2020. In that same time, over 57,000 helpline calls were answered nationally. Nearly 6,000 new woman and 1,100 new children looked for support from a domestic violence service for the first time.

An Garda Síochána has prioritised support for survivors of domestic and sexual violence with Operation Faoiseamh throughout COVID-19 and ADAPT Kerry has welcomed their continued focus on this issue.