NORTHBROOK, Ill., Oct. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.
About The Allstate Foundation
Established in 1952, The Allstate Foundation is an independent,
charitable organization made possible by subsidiaries of The
Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL). Through partnerships with
nonprofit organizations across the country, The Allstate Foundation
brings the relationships, reputation and resources of Allstate to
support innovative and lasting solutions that enhance people's
well-being and prosperity. With a focus on teen safe driving and
building financial independence for domestic violence survivors,
The Allstate Foundation also promotes safe and vital communities;
tolerance, inclusion, and diversity; and economic empowerment. For
more information, visit www.AllstateFoundation.org.
About YWCA
The YWCA USA is one of the
oldest and largest women's organizations in the nation with the
mission of eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting
peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. In the U.S., the YWCA
serves over 2 million women, girls and their families. Globally,
the YWCA USA is a member of the
World YWCA, which has affiliates in 122 countries that serve 25
million women and girls worldwide.
SOURCE The Allstate Foundation