Breaking the Silence in Domestic Violence

According to this PR Newswire release, "more than 70 percent of Americans know someone who has experienced domestic violence and yet few feel comfortable talking about it." This is especially difficult for the victims of domestic violence, who don't feel able to unburden themselves of the experience.

That's where Academy Award-winning actress Mira Sorvino (at right) and The Allstate Foundation come in, partnering on a movement to get people talking and hopefully eliminate domestic violence once and for all. "Tell a Gal P.A.L." is the name of the campaign, and as Sorvino said in the release, "... I believe it's imperative that we work together to empower women to speak up and find the help they need to free themselves from abuse."

The P.A.L. stands for "Pass It On, Act and Learn," so that people will talk about domestic violence, perform as simple of an act as listening, and use knowledge to empower themselves. One part of domestic violence that may not be as well known, according to The Allstate Foundation, is economic abuse, which is when "abusers control victims' finances in an effort to prevent them from leaving."

In order to help, the foundation is encouraging people to visit select Allstate agencies in the U.S. through October 9 and donate business attire for women, to benefit the victims of domestic violence. These suits and other professional attire will be given to local programs such as Dress for Success, and will help those who survived these violent encounters as they interview for open positions. You can find a list of suit donation locations here, along with other important information about domestic violence.

Photo courtesy of PRNewsFoto/Allstate Insurance