Make sure your relationships are having a purple patch

From 25 January until 29 January, WHAG will be running its annual Purple Patch campaign, promoting healthy and positive relationships.

A ‘purple patch’ refers to a period of time when someone is successful and doing well. The campaign is for all age groups within all environments, such as workplaces and schools, as well as raising awareness of domestic abuse, which will affect as many as one in four women, and one in six men.

A spokesperson for WHAG - formerly Women’s Housing Action Group - said: “Promoting healthy and positive relationships and raising awareness of domestic abuse is so important now more than ever. The virus that has swept the world may appear to have little in common with domestic abuse, but the recent news tells a different story. The UN has described the worldwide increase in domestic abuse as a ‘shadow pandemic’ alongside Covid-19.

“More than 40,000 calls and contacts were made to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline during the first three months of lockdown, 80% higher than usual. With the government asking people to work at home, this heightened potential for increased domestic abuse isn’t going away soon.

“Domestic abuse is having a negative impact on the morale, productivity and performance of workplace teams across our county. The majority of domestic abuse happens behind closed doors and the impact on the workplace is far too frequently ignored which is why we are also reaching out to organisations with this campaign.”

WHAG has also created interactive worksheets and slideshows with UP, to teach children and adults about Healthy and Positive relationships during the Purple Patch campaign. UP is a community interest company set up to work with adults and young people providing support around creating and sustaining successful positive relationships. All profits from UP are put back into WHAG.

Your Purple Patch

There are a range of ways for your organisation to get involved: you could ask your team to wear something purple for a day with a suggested £1 donation per person, hold a purple-themed food virtual event, try something new, talk about positive relationships at work or home, fundraise or display the campaign posters, or come up with your own ideas.

You can download campaign materials from WHAG here: whag.info/get-involved/campaigns/

Don’t forget to tag the WHAG social media pages and use the hashtag #PURPLEPATCH

Become involved

If you would like to get involved and support vulnerable people affected by domestic abuse, those who are homeless or at the risk of homelessness, please email whag@whag.info for more information about the campaign.

Help available

Domestic violence or abuse is defined as controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour, including sexual violence. Domestic violence can happen against anyone, and anybody can be an abuser.

You do not have to wait for an emergency situation to find help.

For more information about accessing help if you are a victim of domestic violence, please visit:

• www.whag.info/get-help-now/

In an emergency, if your safety or your children’s safety is threatened, always dial 999.