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Keeping up with the trends is always a good way to stay in touch with the latest news and popularities. If you are one of those persons, then you must have noticed a trend where women painted their ring fingernails in purple or a different color.
This trend was initiated a few years back and had a great response, but not so many women knew what it was actually about. And no, it was not just an aesthetic trend. Painting the ring finger in a different color can have many meanings depending on the color.
When a person paints their ring fingernail in purple, they are showing their support for a campaign organized by Safe Horizon, where the main goal is to raise funds and awareness of the victims that have suffered domestic violence. Other colors have different meanings and can be associated with femme-flagging.
Before I dive into explaining the different color meanings, I will give some space to Safe Horizon, where I will explain what this organization represents and what is their main goal and mission. Understanding this is important for understanding the campaign they have launched.
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What Is a Safe Horizon?
The name Safe Horizon may not be familiar to you, but I am pretty sure you have heard of Victim Services Agency, which is the former name of this organization. With more than 850 employees and over 250 volunteers, it is the largest victim service nonprofit agency in the US.
It is a shelter for people who have been victims of domestic abuse and violent crimes and it provides comfort and counseling throughout its 57 locations in New York City. They are all working to provide support to the victims and prevent any further violence. Besides this, they are also trying to promote and seek justice for those who are in need.
Safe Horizon was established 45 years ago and its beginnings were rather humble. The main idea was for this organization to provide comfort and support for the victims who were supposed to testify in court, but was feeling intimidated and scared to do so.
Only three years later, this project has broadened the field of support they are covering, thus converting to an established Victim Services Agency. Recently they have rebranded and gotten a new name.
The idea behind the new name was to sound inviting and welcoming, so the victims don’t feel like they are going to a governmental institution. With the new name, victims feel more relaxed and approach Safe Horizon with ease.
Approachability is very important when you are running an organization like this. People who have suffered any type of abuse should feel free to seek help at this kind of place, and they will do so only if they feel they are welcomed.
What Is Their Field of Work?
Over the years, Safe Horizon has developed several specialized programs of support that are offered to victims of domestic violence, child abuse, human trafficking, sexual assault, or to the family members that have experienced their loved one being murdered. One of the programs is also created for young people that are homeless.
In the further text, I will explain in more detail the three biggest programs that are run by this organization. However, bear in mind that the scope of services Safe Horizon is providing is much wider, and includes various fields.
All of these programs have the mental and physical health of their users as their primary concern. This is why a lot of stress is put on mental health and one-on-one counseling. Besides this, the organization has partnered with other institutions to provide assistance and free legal aid for everyone who seeks it.
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is statistically the most common crime that can happen within a family. Many women are victims of domestic violence on a daily basis and are in a situation where they see no solution to the problem.
This is mostly because many women feel dependent on the man, or have kids which is the main reason why the woman is suffering and keeping it quiet. Safe Horizon’s primary task is to protect women who are victims of domestic violence.
There is a 24/7 hotline that the victims can use for counseling. Besides this, the biggest type of support is the shelters. The Safe Horizon has the biggest number of shelters in the US that are offering their services to domestic violence victims.
For those who are not familiar with the concept of a shelter, it is a place for women and other victims, where they can stay temporarily while they recover from the abuse they’ve been suffering and while they are coming up with a new plan for their life. All of this with support from professionals.
Child Centers
After domestic violence, child abuse is the second most common type of abuse a person can experience in their home. Children are often not aware they are being abused, and by the time they are saved, it can be too late.
This is why Safe Horizon has been working with Yale University to develop a program for early recognition and treatment of symptoms that are the consequence of child abuse. This program has proved to be very effective in reducing and eliminating trauma symptoms of the kids that have been abused.
Anti-trafficking
The Safe Horizon’s center for human trafficking victims has been imagined as a place where all the practical needs of the victims would be met. This means that this place provides shelter, food, clothes, and legal assistance for those who are unable to prosecute the case by themselves.
This program has come to the center of attention after a few well-known names were a part of it, including Maria Rios Fun and Sangeeta Richard. This has raised the awareness of the needs these victims have and stressed the importance of the support they require.
“Put the Nail in It” Campaign
Safe Horizon is constantly trying to raise awareness on crucial matters, and one campaign that really stood out was Put the nail in it campaign that was advertised under a hashtag, first on Instagram and Twitter and then on other social media as well – #putthenailinit.
The main goal of this campaign was to spread awareness and raise funds for the programs created for domestic violence victims. Their tactic was to paint the ring fingernail purple as a sign of support and to spread the word.
The campaign had a major success, and it was advertised on several social media platforms on which they were posting several videos with different messages. All these videos were featuring people tightly connected to the cause.
Some celebrities were also involv