In 2004, Tamron Hall's sister, Renate, was found beaten to death in the backyard of her Houston, Texas, home.
She'd had a history of relationships with abusive men.
As you can imagine, the loss was devastating to Hall, a co-anchor on the "Today" show. She was forever changed.
Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images for SiriusXM.
"No one deserves what happened to my sister," Hall told People magazine in April 2016. "For a long time I was hesitant about sharing our story. I didn't want to be another well-known person saying, 'Look what happened to me and my family.' But then I said, 'Screw that. I can save a life.'"
That's why Hall is sporting one purple-painted nail on her left hand.
Hall stars in a new PSA for Safe Horizon's #PutTheNailInIt campaign aimed at ending domestic violence.
The PSA by Safe Horizon — a nonprofit aimed at empowering the survivors of and preventing domestic abuse — encourages viewers to paint their left ring-finger nail purple (the color of the anti-domestic violence movement) in a show of solidarity.
The campaign has been an ongoing initiative for the group, but Hall's latest PSA is bringing renewed interest to efforts to #PutTheNailInIt just days before the start of October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
On day when non-violence has such meaning, we took the vow to #putthenailinit. #amarsinlastimar @SafeHorizon https://t.co/rDOvlnEqQY— Maria de los Angeles Corral (@Maria de los Angeles Corral)1473615336.0
@tamronhall great campaign to raise awareness on domestic violence #PutTheNailInIt @SafeHorizon https://t.co/phflLxG3kS— @MessyMommies (@@MessyMommies)1474557106.0
Domestic abuse is a topic that gets attention but not nearly enough.
1 in 4 adult women and 1 in 7 adult men will experience violence at the hands of an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime.
Those stats are alarming enough, but the prevalence of domestic abuse across the U.S. is even more sobering when you dissect the numbers behind the groups that affected even more.
Black women are nearly three times more likely to be murdered by an intimate partner than women from other racial backgrounds.
Women of color, and particularly black women, are disproportionately affected by domestic violence. Black women are nearly three times more likely to be murdered by an intimate partner than women from other racial backgrounds.
Although the issue remains under-researched within the queer community, the data we do have suggests partner abuse is disproportionately affecting all genders and sexual orientations across the LGBTQ spectrum, particularly transgender survivors of domestic abuse.
We need to be talking about this.
Those disturbing stats are why you'll see other celebrities speaking out in Safe Horizon's PSA too.
Stars like rock star Dave Navarro.
"When my mother's life was taken by a domestic abuser, I unfortunately was a witness to how domestic violence can not only destroy the victim's life, but the lives of friends and family members," Navarro said in a statement.
GIF via Safe Horizon.
And actor Alan Cumming.
"Domestic violence can affect anyone," Cumming said. "Whether gay or straight, we need to have zero tolerance for domestic violence, and I salute full-heartedly Safe Horizon’s #PutTheNailInIt campaign for advocating exactly that."
GIF via Safe Horizon.
And actress Kyra Sedgwick.
"As a woman and a mother of a young woman, the prevalence of domestic violence horrifies me," Sedgwick said. "Domestic violence is a secret, insidious, and rampant epidemic that is so often kept shamefully behind closed doors."
GIF via Safe Horizon.
To Hall, our unified efforts can end domestic violence. We just have to stand together.
"My sister’s memory is important to me and I want to uplift her name to help those families and victims who have felt alone," Hall explained in a statement. "Since opening up and sharing our story, I've been approached by countless people who have taken a stand. If we stand shoulder-to-shoulder we create a wall of protection."
