By Dave Beatty, Founder, Riders Against Domestic Violence
A purple ribbon in Marshfield, Wisconsin, has given us a meaningful reminder of why we started this campaign.
Lacey Mitchell found Riders Against Domestic Violence on Facebook and decided to take part in our 2026 bridge campaign. She sent us a message saying she was glad she had found our organization and had been able to put up a ribbon in Marshfield.
Thank you, Lacey, for helping carry the message into your community.
On Day Seven of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we are thinking about what happens when awareness moves beyond a post on a screen and becomes something people can see in their own town.
A small act with a purpose
A ribbon cannot tell us everything someone has endured. It cannot answer every question or provide the help a survivor may need. But it can give us a place to begin.
Someone sees the purple and asks what it means. Someone shares a photograph and explains why they participated. Someone who has stayed quiet sees their community acknowledging something they have been carrying alone.
We cannot know who will notice a particular ribbon or what it will mean to them. We can choose the message we put behind it:
You matter. Your safety matters. You deserve support.
That is the purpose of RADV’s “Tie a Purple Ribbon on the Bridge” campaign. We want awareness to lead people toward compassion, conversation, and resources.
Why a bridge?
At Riders Against Domestic Violence, we say, “We Are the Bridge.”
A bridge connects one place to another. Our role is to help connect survivors with resources and organizations they can contact directly for support.
For someone facing abuse, knowing where to begin can feel overwhelming. They may have questions they are not ready to ask out loud. They may need someone to listen without judgment. They may simply need to know that looking for help is an option.
Our message should leave room for all of that. A survivor does not owe us their story because we wear purple, ride a motorcycle, or tie a ribbon. Awareness becomes meaningful when we respect the person behind the issue.
Carry the message with care
If you would like to participate, choose a place where you have permission to display a ribbon. Keep walkways, signs, and visibility clear, and make a plan to remove it afterward.
If a bridge is not an appropriate or permitted location, you can still participate. Display a purple ribbon on your own property or at a business that welcomes the campaign. Share why it is there and point people toward resources.
When sharing photographs, protect other people’s privacy. A ribbon can be public without making someone’s personal experience public.
Most of all, let your actions match the message. Listen when someone speaks. Respect their choices. Follow through when you offer support. Keep caring after October ends.
From one community to another
Lacey’s message is a reminder that we do not have to be in the same city to take part in the same effort.
One person in Wisconsin saw the campaign and took a step. Someone in another community may see that example and decide to do something too.
That is how we carry awareness farther, through people willing to make it part of everyday life.
If you have joined the bridge campaign, we would love to see your ribbon and hear which community you are representing. Share only the details you are comfortable making public.
For survivors reading this, there is no expectation that you participate or share your experience. This message is for you, too:
You survived. You matter. Keep going. One mile at a time.
Visit RADV.org to explore survivor resources and find help centers. RADV is a referral bridge. Please contact the listed providers directly for their services.
We Are the Bridge.
© 2026 Riders Against Domestic Violence (RADV).