'It has grown nationwide and hopefully we can build on it year after year'

Ministers on hand to support nationwide initiative that was started locally by community garda Stacey Looby

Justice Minister Helen McEntee visited Navan last Thursday to launch ‘Go Purple Day’ - an initiative first started in Navan by community garda Stacey Looby to raise awareness of domestic violence.

This year Go Purple Day takes, place on 29th April and has gathered momentum to become a nationwide event where people are encouraged to wear purple to increase awareness of domestic abuse and the support services available.

Garda Looby was posted in Navan for 11 years and last year transferred to Athlone to be closer to home, but she was back in Navan for the launch.

Also at the launch were Kathrina Bentley CEO of Men's Aid Ireland, Mary McDermott CEO of Safe Ireland, Assistant Garda Commissioner David Sheahan, Minister Damien English and representatives of Meath Women's Refuge and the local Men's Aid.

On 29th April, people are being encouraged to wear purple or be creative with the colour purple as part of the initiative that has spread throughout the country since Garda Looby first started it in Navan in 2020 to raise awareness of the support groups available to victims after a stark rise in domestic abuse cases were reported in lockdown.

"We are encouraging people to wear purple or be creative with the colour purple while sharing the contact numbers for domestic violence services. Sew something, bake something purple, dye your hair, the more creative the better," said Garda Looby.

Garda Looby said she can't believe how much the event has taken off and that all she started off with were a few paper armbands and said it has grown so much since then.

"It has grown nationwide and hopefully we can build on it year after year."

She also thanked Minister Helen McEntee for her support and advice since she first started the initiative.

Minister McEntee said she was delighted to support 'Go Purple Day' again in Meath to raise awareness of domestic violence and the services that are here to help and support victims.

“Services like Meath Women's Refuge, Safe Ireland and Men's Aid do outstanding work and they and so many other organisations across the country have my full support as Minister for Justice.

“We need to work towards zero tolerance of this type of violence and abuse and I am also working across government on the development of our new national strategy, which I will publish in the coming weeks.

“It will be based on four pillars: Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Policy Co-ordination. It recognises that tackling domestic, sexual and gender based violence is not just a criminal justice issue but requires all of us working across society.

“In drafting the strategy, I have consulted with the groups doing fantastic work in this area and I know that working together we will achieve the goal of zero tolerance.”

Last year Garda Looby was personally thanked by Tanáiste Leo Varadkar for her work in raising awareness of domestic abuse through the Go Purple Day initiative.

In the short video, the Tanáiste said: "I really want to particularly mention community Garda Stacey Looby from Co Meath who go this initiative going and now it's become a nationwide event so thank you for all your work that you do today and everyday and your colleages as well".

Garda Looby was named an Inspirational Hero in the Gala Retail and Virgin Media National Inspiration Awards in 2020 for her hard work, dedication and positivity during Covid 19 pandemic. Her amazing efforts focused on the elderly from arrnaging shopping and collecting medicines to surprising those cocooning along with birthday cakes.