More Than One-Third of Americans Have Never Discussed Domestic Violence

Are you surprised by the results of this new survey by The Allstate Foundation? 

Even though domestic violence affects one in four women in their lifetime, more than one-third of Americans have never discussed the issue with a friend or family member. Three out of five believe that it is a difficult issue to discuss.

This month, The Allstate Foundation and the YWCA are joining forces to break the silence and raise awareness about domestic violence by launching a new campaign designed to spur conversation and make it easier to talk about the issue. Based on The Allstate Foundation's long-term commitment to helping empower women economically to end domestic violence, the campaign encourages individuals to spread the story of the Purple Purse – the Foundation's new national symbol for domestic violence.  

"What many people don't realize is that abuse can be financial in nature such as withholding banking information or controlling a partner's money or misusing her financial identity and ruining a person's credit. This occurs just as frequently as physical abuse," said Michele Mayes, Allstate executive vice president & general counsel. "We are rallying people behind the Purple Purse because it stands for economic empowerment and represents the center of a woman's financial domain. It's also meant to convey the message that it's okay to talk about it – in fact please do."

To spread the message about the power of the Purple Purse, The Allstate Foundation today launched www.PurplePurse.com. The website appears to be an online shopping magazine, but after scrolling down the page, the user will find a variety of information and resources specific to the issue of domestic violence and financial empowerment. The website serves as a tool to raise awareness and provides a safe and informative place for women to educate themselves. PurplePurse.com also provides a place for women to start a discussion about domestic violence.

"As the largest provider of domestic violence services in the nation, the YWCA has worked tirelessly to combat domestic violence," says Gloria Lau, CEO of the YWCA USA. "Our partnership with The Allstate Foundation to heighten awareness of domestic violence and launch PurplePurse.com is another meaningful step in our effort to end this horrible epidemic in our society."

To kick-off the campaign, The Allstate Foundation and YWCA, along with top bloggers, are organizing TweetUps in nine cities across the country. The events are planned in nine cities across the country, including Birmingham, Ala., Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, El Paso, Texas, Los Angeles, New York City, Seattle, and Tucson, Ariz.

These events are designed to explain the story behind the Purple Purse, share information about the issue and encourage individuals to help spread the word about the campaign. TweetUp attendees will also have the opportunity to hear from a domestic violence survivor at each event. As an additional incentive to inspire more people to get involved, The Allstate Foundation will donate $100 for each TweetUp attendee, up to $10,000 at each event, totaling a $90,000 contribution to the YWCA.

Individuals across the country are encouraged to participate in the campaign and show their support by carrying a purple purse or bag throughout October, posting their favorite purple purse pics to PurplePurse.com and downloading the Purple Purse widget available on the website. This widget makes it easy to share Purple Purse content through social media and is designed to ensure that more people in need will be able to get information that can help.

Each year, The Allstate Foundation contributes more than $3 million in grants and programming to support economic empowerment for survivors and to help end domestic violence. Visit www.PurplePurse.com and www.ClickToEmpower.com to learn more.

About the Survey

The Allstate Foundation partnered with ORC International to conduct the research on domestic violence awareness. ORC International conducted telephone surveys among a national probability sample of 1,002 adults between September 22-25, 2011.

The sample was comprised of 501 men and 501 women 18 years of age and older, living in private households in the continental United States. The sampling error associated with a sample size of 1,002 is plus/minus two to three percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

So -- check out www.PurplePurse.com ...and keep on spreading the purple!

10 Things You Can Do About Domestic Violence

As we begin October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, people have been asking me "What can I do about domestic violence? Is there something I can do to help?" Here is a short list of ideas. Certainly you can add your ideas or additions at the end:

1)  Join the Love Is Not Abuse Coalition and get involved in a growing, national grassroots movement of parents, teachers and ANYONE who cares about getting dating abuse education into every middle school and high school in the country.  Go to http://loveisnotabuse.com/web/guest/who-we-are  to learn more.

2) Find out more about domestic violence. Go to http://www.clicktoempower.org/ and see the stories of survivors and what made the difference for them.

3) Go to http://whatwedid4love.com and support the National Domestic Violence Hotline by purchasing these pieces by Sueanne Shirzay and other artists.

4) Learn about how domestic violence impacts your workplace by visiting http://www.caepv.org/.

5) Remember the National Domestic Violence Hotline Number: 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or http://www.thehotline.org/. You can call to help others or yourself.

6) Donate your old cell phone, batteries, or chargers (any brand) at any Verizon Wireless store or use free mailing label http://aboutus.vzw.com/communityservice/Shipping.html.  Learn more about the HopeLine from Verizon program at http://aboutus.vzw.com/communityservice/hopeLine.html

7) Learn to talk to your kids about healthy relationships by downloading tip booklets from http://www.loveisnotabuse.com/.

8) Try to understand what happens in domestic violence and how it impacts people. Check out http://www.domesticviolenceworkplace.blogspot.com/. And comment!

9) Don't ask "Why would that victim go back?" ask "Why would a person hit or abuse someone they love?"

10) Be safe, healthy and happy in your own relationships. Because you matter. And you deserve it. And you are very, very precious.

Great Ways to Help Make A Difference with Break the Cycle, Joyful Heart Foundation, and the Allstate Foundation

Do you want to do something to help nonprofit organizations -- but you don't have person funds to do so yourself? Let Chase and Allstate do it for you! Here are two great ways:

 Help CAEPV Members Break the Cycle and Joyful Heart Foundation win up to $500,000 from Chase Community Giving.

If you've never participated in Chase Community Giving before, you'll be to asked to “like” Chase Community Giving (https://www.facebook.com/ChaseCommunityGiving ) and grant the application access to your Facebook profile--once you click "Allow" you'll be taken through to the voting page.

• Break the Cycle: https://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/954582664-break-the-cycle  
• Joyful Heart: https://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/721519537-joyful-heart-foundation  

Join Allstate, Make a Promise to Improve Your Finances, and Help Grameen America

Join the Allstate Foundation and Dress for Success in making a promise to improve your finances. Click to Empower! will donate $1 to Grameen America for every promise made. Help them reach their goal of donating up to $10,000.

It's simple, click on the Make a Promise tab on their Facebook page and select a promise! 

So....click away!


 

Click, Tweet, and Support Domestic Violence Survivors: The Allstate Foundation and YWCA join together to raise awareness of domestic violence

UPDATE:  ON JULY 14 THE CAMPAIGN MET IT'S $75,000 GOAL...EARLY!!!!

Helping domestic violence survivors just became as easy as sending a tweet to your friends and family. The Allstate Foundation and the national YWCA have joined together to help end domestic violence through the #Tweet4YWCA campaign.


Beginning July 7, The Allstate Foundation is donating $1 to the YWCA for every tweet that includes #Tweet4YWCA, up to $75,000. The tweet-a-thon will run from July 7-16.


Additionally, Allstate Foundation’s website, http://www.clicktoempower.org/ , will feature a leader board, live streaming tweets, and a real time calculator of how much has been donated during the campaign.


Allstate Foundation, @ClickToEmpower, and YWCA, @YWCAUSA, have a commitment to ending domestic violence and providing economic empowerment programs.


Recap:


1. Send a tweet using the hashtag: #Tweet4YWCA.


2. Visit http://www.clicktoempower.org/  to see how close we are to reaching the $75,000 goal.


3. Follow @ClickToEmpower and @YWCAUSA to get updates about the campaign.


What you can do to help?


• Tweet, retweet, and tweet some more! Every #Tweet4YWCA earns one more dollar toward the $75,000 goal.


• Post a #Tweet4YWCA button or banner on your website and Facebook page (see below).

• Need more inspiration to #Tweet4YWCA? Watch and share the empowering videos on the domestic violence playlist at www.youtube.com/allstatenews.

Click To Empower Is Back!

The click in “ClickToEmpower” is coming back!

Beginning July 15 and running through September 15, The Allstate Foundation’s Economics’ Against Abuse Program needs your help in deciding which of four organizations should receive $100,000.

Charity Cars, Inc, Family Justice Center Alliance, Safe Horizon and YWCA are “competing” in phase-two of the ClickToEmpower campaign.

Just visit http://www.clicktoempower.org/ or their Facebook Fan Page at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8501859820&ref=ts vote for the charity you think can best help to empower domestic violence survivors—the organization with the most votes wins the $100,000 donation!

Since all of these organizations can help survivors build their financial independence, the three runner-up organizations will receive a $10,000 grant from The Allstate Foundation.

Take a few seconds to tell CAEPV member The Allstate Foundation which charity can do the most good for survivors during these tough economic times.

Just a few clicks of your mouse can help support those in need, so don’t forget to vote once every 24 hours until September 15.

CONGRATULATIONS -- YOU CLICKED TO $300,000!

Thank you for faithfully supporting The Allstate Foundation Click to Empower Campaign – we have reached our 300,000 goal!! The program launched on January 16, 2008 and in less than a year, we have all “clicked” to 300,000.

Each time you clicked, you were part of a providing $1 donated by The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program to the Education and Job Training Assistance (EJTA) Fund. The EJTA Fund helps domestic violence survivors pursue long-term financial security by providing vital financial assistance for education, training and job-related expenses. The EJTA Fund is quite unique and provides access to books and supplies for school, job-training skills, certification fees, tuition, registration fees, childcare, and more! I have personally seen the EJTA Fund in action – and seen first-hand what a difference it can make in the life of a victim of domestic violence who is trying to gain long-term financial security. Believe me, it works! Thank you for clicking – and for making a difference!

(P.S. You can still visit the site to spread the word to your friends on raising awareness for domestic violence and hear inspirational stories from survivors. And . . . .in the next few months, remember to visit http://www.clicktoempower.org/ to see the redesigned Web site and check out The Allstate Foundation’s new initiatives!)

What Does It Mean to "Click To Empower?"

Last time I checked, the “ClicktoEmpower” clicker was at 232,394 – they are approaching the 50,000 to go mark! Thanks to all of you so dedicated to “clicking” and sharing this easy way to help victims of domestic violence with friends. The goal is to click to 300,000.

Each click represents $1 donated by The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program to the Education and Job Training Assistance (EJTA) Fund, with a total contribution of up to $300,000. The EJTA Fund helps domestic violence survivors pursue long-term financial security by providing vital financial assistance for education, training and job-related expenses. Clicking is easy -- and you can help someone get access to books and supplies for school, job-training skills, certification fees, tuition, registration fees, childcare, and more!

I have personally seen the EJTA Fund in action – and seen first-hand what a difference it can make in the life of a victim of domestic violence who is trying to gain long-term financial security. Believe me, it works!

Allstate is a company I appreciate – I know they are an insurance company and I know that does not always make them a "popular" kind of company, but they have done a lot of really cool things by taking what they are good at (financial stuff) and applying it to helping victims of domestic violence. To learn more about Allstate and their commitment, check out our “Member of the Month” page on the CAEPV website.

Please keep clicking – and watch that arrow move toward the $300,000 mark!!

Want to Help Victims of Domestic Violence? Visit "ClicktoEmpower.com" to Raise Funds from The Allstate Foundation

On January 16, CAEPV Members The Allstate Foundation and the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) Fund launched an e-mail campaign to bring people to ClicktoEmpower.com, a special Web site created to educate readers about the devastating impact of financial abuse and raise critical funding to support victims of domestic violence. For each person who visits ClicktoEmpower.com and clicks the "Click to Empower" button, $1 will be donated by The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program to the Education and Job Training Assistance (EJTA) Fund, with a total contribution of up to $300,000. The EJTA Fund helps domestic violence survivors pursue long-term financial security by providing vital financial assistance for education, training and job-related expenses.

The Allstate Foundation takes a unique stance on the issue of domestic violence by focusing its efforts on providing tools that help survivors move toward economic independence. Experts report that economic control is a tactic commonly used by abusers to prevent their victims from leaving abusive situations. Abusers often block access to money and/or other financial resources including credit cards, bank accounts or the ability to work outside the home.

"Our goal is to help survivors achieve an economic independence that they may not realize was possible," said Jennifer Kuhn, Domestic Violence Program Manager, The Allstate Foundation. "The Allstate Foundation is excited about the ClicktoEmpower campaign and is confident that through Allstate colleagues, friends, families and advocates we will reach our goal of $300,000."
A domestic violence survivor's ability to attain economic security is dependent upon the availability of:

· Social and economic supports, including child support, child care, transportation, and public benefits;
· Jobs that provide a living wage, and offer benefits as well as opportunities for career advancement;
· Education and job training programs, or other opportunities to gain the skills necessary to obtain and retain a job that pays a living wage.

However, traditional financial aid resources often do not address these barriers. The EJTAF was established by The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program to channel small grants, up to $1,000 each, to adult domestic violence survivors to overcome the obstacles that prevent them from achieving their educational and professional goals. The EJTAF covers education, training and job-related expenses including:

· Books and supplies for school
· Job skills training
· Certification fees
· Tuition
· Registration fees
· Requirements for jobs, such as uniforms
· Child care
· Public transportation
· Fees for computer access

"With the Education and Job Training Assistance Fund, a little goes a long way. In many communities a $1,000 grant can help a survivor take a 10-week computer training course and pay for childcare and transportation while in the course," said Sue Else, President, NNEDV Fund. "That's the difference between having to remain with an abuser to keep a roof over your children's head and having the opportunity to live a free, safe and successful life."

For many domestic violence survivors economic advocacy is critical to their long term self-sufficiency. For additional information on The Allstate Foundation economic empowerment programs please visit http://www.econempowerment.org/

I think things like this are so cool! Not only does money get raised, but people get educated on the "stories" of survivors of domestic violence. And I think this is just a great program -- funding "little things" like a course or books or transportation really is not a "little thing" at all -- it is actually huge! Thank goodness for the stance of The Allstate Foundation on this issue - they understand the importance of a person being able to have economic stability and independence and literacy. You can't "pull yourself up" by your own bootstraps if you don't have any bootstraps, right?

I also have to give a bit of disclaimer here that I sit on The Allstate Foundation Advisory Board for the Domestic Violence program so I am a total fan of this project!

I - for one - have already clicked, already passed the site along, and will be clicking every day until the goal is reached!

I hope you will click to empower, too!