FARMINGTON — The community is invited to join in a Wear Purple Day on Monday, Oct. 3, to observe Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

An annual vigil is planned for 6 p.m. Monday in Meetinghouse Park on Main Street. A candle procession will go down Main Street and to the Student Center at the University of Maine at Farmington.

Safe Voices, formerly Abused Women’s Advocacy Project, wants to bridge the greater Franklin community with the university community during the vigil, Jessica Dorr, Safe Voices educator, said.

“We wanted something progressive this year . . . a feeling of making progress . . . that’s important for the community,” she said. Going to the university to reach out to students hits those at prime risk for domestic violence, she said.

A speak-out will take place at The Landing in the Student Center. UMF President Theo Kalikow, campus police Chief Ted Blais, Franklin County Detective David St. Laurent, Tanya Kennedy and Sue Tedrick plan to talk about domestic violence. An open-mic will be available afterward for students and any others who want to participate.

Although a solemn occasion, the vigil is also an empowering one, and that’s the goal, she said.

According to the most recent statistics, there were 5,287 domestic assaults in Maine in 2009, or one every hour and 39 minutes, according to the Safe Voices newsletter.

Since the deaths resulting from domestic violence occurred this summer in the Waterville and Dexter areas, there has been a huge increase from those reaching out for services, Dorr said.

“They got to see their own fears,” she said of victims who related to the victims of the murders. Some have called on behalf of other people they were concerned about, a daughter or a mother, she added.

Still others called trying to reach out and embrace those affected by domestic violence by asking what they can do to help, she said.

A Safe Voices Facebook page developed by a student collaborating with the event boasts 700 people have already committed to wearing purple on Monday, she said.

Businesses will display purple ribbons in their windows throughout the month. Various organizations and their members throughout the tri-county area will display the color purple, hanging purple ribbons and posters, wearing purple and finding creative ways to participate to show support for victims and survivors of domestic violence, Dorr said in a release.

“While previous events have focused on Farmington, we want to broaden out. We want to paint the county purple,” she said.

“When businesses display the laminated ribbon in their window, they’re saying that’s not acceptable. We want a violence-free community and we want to be part of that,” Dorr said.

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