You reach in your purse to pay for something and don’t have your wallet. Embarrassing right? Now imagine you are a woman trying to escape Domestic Violence. You know you have to get out, you want to get out, and you are ready. In fact, you know if you don’t get out now there may just not be another chance. You’ve been secretly saving for just this moment. You reach in your purse and your wallet is gone, and you KNOW you put it in there.
How can this be, you wonder? Your heart falls, and you know. There just is no way out.
Sadly, financial abuse occurs in 99% of all domestic violence. Without money to escape the abusive relationship, a woman simply cannot leave. Or worse, even after breaking free, the survivor has to return right back to the abusive situation.
Financial abuse is domestic abuse. While it’s invisible unlike the marks left by physical abuse, it’s still a trap. It’s a strong trap that prevents a victim from leaving just like being under the control of a lock and key. But there is a key to unlock Financial Abuse. And you can help; you can be the hero that unlocks that lock. You can join us in the Challenge here.
We at the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh are excited to announce we’ve been chosen as one of 200 nonprofit organizations serving domestic violence survivors throughout the entire country to be a part of the Allstate Foundation Purple Purse Challenge! Since 2005, this competition has taken place every year with the goal of developing long-term security and safety through financial empowerment. This year, we’ve been selected to join this friendly fundraising competition to secure economic empowerment for domestic violence survivors in the Pittsburgh area. – Domestic violence affects one in four women in her life. – Every nine seconds a woman is abused. – 99% of all domestic violence cases include financial abuse, too.
On a greater scale, through this Purple Purse Pittsburgh Challenge, we’re ready to help the next woman flee financial abuse. She can find her inner hero again; until then, with your support, we can be her hero.
“I’m willing to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.”
~ Wonder Woman
The challenge begins October 2nd, but if you’d like to look around our Crowdrise Purple Purse Pittsburgh page now, please feel free to browse. From there, you can find out information about how you can be a hero by joining our team. And if you’re not the rah-rah-fundraising type but more of a silent caped crusader, that’s okay, too! You can visit the page, make a contribution, and then fly off to your next life-saving adventure.
