Do you know what a Purple Lightbulb represents?
K-Mart was notorious for their “Blue Light Specials” once upon a time. Blue Lightbulb stickers were scattered throughout the store to bring attention to the really good sales…. This isn’t exactly like that but lightbulbs, across the ages, have been used to symbolically shine a light on a topic or situation. Several years ago, Blue trick or treat Pumpkin buckets started popping up. What did they represent? A kid with a blue pumpkin could be assumed to be on the Autism Spectrum and it was hoped that whomever interacted with that child would be a little kinder.
The point was to raise awareness that Autism is in places you might not have thought to look.
Purple Lights do the same thing. Domestic Violence is tragically prevalent these days. Since the Pandemic, statistics have only increased and not decreased. So what does the Purple Lightbulb represent? It not only brings awareness to a cultural phenomenon, but also shows victims that there are safe spaces for them to go when they need it.
So the next time you see a purple floodlamp in your neighborhood or a purple streetlight or window candle, know that that location is a safe location for victims.
Now you know.