Purple Light Night: Crowd walks in Renton for DV awareness

On the first Monday of October — which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month — the city of Renton held its inaugural A Walk In Her Steps Solidarity Walk and lit the night with purple lights.

Starting at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 6, a large crowd that included local domestic abuse organizations Kent-based Domestic Abuse Women’s Network (DAWN), Renton-based Project Be Free, Seahawks Blue Thunder drumline and cheerleaders, local leaders and Renton residents showed up in front of the clocktower at the corner of Logan Avenue and South Third Street dressed in purple and carrying signs that say “Stop domestic violence.”

The crowd then began their 1K walk through downtown Renton before making a stop at City Hall. Throughout the walk, purple silhouettes and signs were on display, showing facts about domestic abuse statistics and the impact it has on South King County residents, especially women, children and families.

The walk ended with the City of Renton’s Mayoral Proclamation for DV Awareness Month at the beginning of the Oct. 6 city council meeting.

As the colorful, musical crowd made its way through the downtown sidewalks (escorted by Renton Police Chief Jon Schuldt and Renton police officers), pedestrians and drivers showed their support for the cause with clapping and honking, with some people even joining the walk along the way.

Reneé Ruwe, 57, of Renton had first heard about the 1K walk from a Facebook post and decided to “support the cause.”

“I did find a purple shirt and just threw myself together and came on down, and it’s been a wonderful experience and I’ve met lots of amazing people. It’s just a great energy with the drummers and all the people coming together,” said Ruwe. “Knowledge is power, and community and support is everything. So, when you’re isolated and feel like you don’t have anybody, then it can make it so that you fall into more bad situations because you don’t feel like anybody cares.”

DAWN’s Interim Development Director Christine Rose told the Renton Reporter that last year, DAWN’s support line served 4,659 people and that DAWN’s community advocacy program served 1,773 people.

DV awareness is an important issue in South King County, particularly in cities like Renton, Kent, Auburn, unincorporated King County, Federal Way and Bellevue.

According to recent data from 2023, there were 17,675 DV offenses reported in King County alone.

While the majority were handled by the Seattle Police Department, 1,831 were under the jurisdiction of the Kent Police Department, while there were 1,114 in Auburn, 755 in Federal Way and 626 reported in Renton.

DAWN will host more DV awareness events in the next few weeks. On Oct. 12, from 1-4 p.m., there will be a survivor art opening at Good Vibes Barbershop and Community Space called Art Against Silence.

On Nov. 6, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., the Purple Light Nights Wrap Party and prize drawing event will take place at DAWN headquarters in Kent. For more information, visit dawnrising.org/events/purple-light-nights.

To talk to the DAWN advocacy and support line, call 425-656-7867.

Project Be Free can be reached at projectbefree@outlook.com, by phone at 425-324-5030 or toll-free at 888-909-9098. For more information, visit project-be-free.com.