Purple up Limerick rally to send strong message about violence against women

LIMERICK will not tolerate abuse of our women and girls. That is the stark and unequivocal message of the Purple Up Limerick 2018 campaign which will be supported by the hundreds of people of all ages expected to take part in a rally in the city centre this Tuesday.

Starting at 1pm,  216 candles will be lit and the names of the 216 women in Ireland who have died by violence in the past 21 years will be read out to the crowd in a ceremony remembering them and marking their stolen lives.  People are asked to wear purple and carry purple flags and banners as a show of solidarity.

New figures for violent deaths of women in 2018 will also be released that day, pushing that 216 figure even higher.

The ceremony, at the corner of O’Connell St and Thomas St, is part of the 2018 Purple Up Limerick campaign and will kick-start the International 16 Days of Action Against Violence Against Women.

The aim of the Purple Up Limerick campaign is to highlight the prevalence of violence against women in Limerick and to show solidarity with those who are affected by abuse and violence in their close relationships.

The campaign also turns the spotlight on abusers, sending out the message that Limerick will not tolerate abuse of our women and girls.

According to Deirdre Barrett, who works with  Adapt House’s domestic abuse services, one in five women in Ireland is affected by violence or domestic abuse.

Of the 216 women who have died violently since 1996, she explains, 139 were killed in their own homes. More than half the women were murdered by a partner or ex-partner and in the vast majority of cases, 87%, the women were killed by someone known to them.

The 16 Days of Action are intended to raise awareness of violence against women as a human rights issue at local, national and international level. Encompassing over 1,500 organisations across 160 countries, the campaign demonstrates the solidarity of women across the world organising against violence against women and working towards the elimination of all forms of violence against women.

If you or your club or group or workplace would like to support the Purple Up Limerick campaign and the 16 Days of Action, a Purple Up pack is available by emailing development@adaptservices.ie or ringing 061-412354.