The Purple Leash Project at the Variety Power of Women Event
November 13th, 2024
By Katie Campbell, President and CEO || Cover credit: Purina –
Never in a million years could I have seen a RedRover purple-carpet event coming! To be in a room with some of the most powerful women in Hollywood as a guest of Purina was something I could have never dreamed of. So why was I there?
I joined the Purina team to help them honor actor Sarah Hyland with the first-ever “Variety Courage” award, for her outspoken advocacy for domestic violence (DV) survivors as a survivor herself. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room during her acceptance speech where she shared about her own experience of isolation, courage, and connection with her dog, Barkley, with “whom she felt the safest.” Calling on the power of the people in the room, Sarah invited attendees to write notes of encouragement, that would then be shared with survivors across the country.
Credit: Purina
“Brave survivors at these locations, they will get your notes. In the world of isolation that they have been living in, you cannot underestimate the power of letting them know that they are not alone.”
And now that Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) is behind us, our work continues on. RedRover’s efforts to create more programming to keep survivors and their pets safe never stops – raising awareness, providing support and guidance, and providing grant funding is a daily effort for our team. Because, as Sarah said, “survivors [and their pets] deserve more.”
So, I call on you to continue your work in this effort. Please continue to learn more about domestic violence and the link with animal violence, continue to raise awareness so all survivors know resources exist, and continue to share the Purple Leash Project with your communities. Finally and perhaps most importantly, continue to bring domestic violence out of the shadows by talking about it.
One last time, I’ll raise Sarah’s words and say: “Thank you for listening and not looking away.”
