October is often appreciated as the most colorful month of year. There are reds, oranges, and yellows in the leaves that are changing. The crisp blue skies are there for all to see. There is a slew of colors in football stadiums across the country as the back-to-school pride is thriving. Pink is plastered against every surface in celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But here’s a new color to add the list: purple.

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It is often overshadowed, but October should be painted purple as the color of Domestic Violence Awareness. And why, you ask?

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The American Cancer Society states that one in eight women will develop great cancer at some point in her life. However, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, as many as one in three women and one in four men have been victims of some sort of abuse in their lifetime. The Huffington Post reports the same statistic as one in four women and one in seven men. Due to the nature of the question being asked, collecting entirely accurate data is difficult if not impossible, but either way, those odds are in nobody’s favor.

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Just to put this into perspective, Huffington gives the following statistic. Between the years of 2001 and 2012, there were 6,488 American soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq. In the same time period, there were 11,766 American women murdered by current or ex male partners — nearly twice as many deaths than those brought on by an actual war. This does not include any non-deaths, which make up the majority of abusive cases. It’s hard to comprehend, really.

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Spreading awareness is a perfect first step to take in an effort to decrease those numbers. Monday October 9 at 8 PM on the lawn outside McGarvey, Behrend S.A.V.E. will be hosting a tie dye event (bring your own shirt) to make a few shirts you will be able the show off the following week for Purple Thursday, falling this year on October 19th. The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence started this annual observance day in 2010 and the event has been steadily growing and is now nearly nationally practiced. This is one day of the month dedicated to wearing purple to honor victims and support survivors of domestic violence. It’s a simple, fun way to do some good.

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If you’re interested in taking steps beyond just wearing purple, here are a few starting points. First, you can advertise appropriate resource centers. You can also go to local businesses to put up bulletins. Also, social media is a powerful tool — use it. Another starting point is to ask questions. If you think something may be wrong, find a discrete way to ask. Educate each other on what domestic violence is, on what signs to look for, on how to react and on what else to do.

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Think of all your friends, your neighbors, and your relatives who could ever be faced with such an issue. Think of all those outside our community without a voice to be heard. Don’t let yourself do nothing. At the very least, wear purple.