In case you see a lot of women walking around wearing purple today it's because they are marking a day celebrating women's economic, political and social achievements.

Although International Women's Day falls on Sunday, the Women's Resource Centre (WRC) has organised a Wear Purple Day today purple representing the colour of women's empowerment.

Amnesty International has also organised an exhibition of shocking images of violence against women featuring women being half buried and then stoned.

Elisabeth Kast the WRC's community educator said: "It is a global celebration of women's achievements. Of course we are trying to draw attention to the pervasiveness of violence against women, but it is also a celebration."

Ms Kast said 98 percent of domestic violence was male on female and the Centre had seen a rise in the number of people needing their services over the past few years.

But she added: "It is often very difficult to determine whether there has been a rise in domestic violence on the Island, because it is such an under-reported crime, but we have definitely seen an increased demand for our services over the years.

"After our advertising campaign, which ran about three years ago, more women started to call the Women's Resource Centre. Public awareness of our organisation has increased the amount of people coming for help."

Ms Kast said more than 30 companies had come forward wanting to take part in Wear Purple Day and added: "We are providing purple ribbons and asking companies to allow employees to wear denim and purple for that day in celebration of International Women's Day, as purple is the colour of women's empowerment.

"So we got a huge response for that and that is our main event. We are working in conjunction with Amnesty International. March 8 is the actual day for International Women's Day, but we organised events on Friday so that the business community could participate."

Amnesty International is celebrating women as Agents for Change with an exhibition today at the Bermuda National Library, on Queen Street, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m..

Lucy Attride-Stirling, executive director of Amnesty International Bermuda, said: "On March 8 we celebrate women all over the world for their part in changing the world. We celebrate their achievements.

"Amnesty International Bermuda's contribution to bring awareness of the violence perpetrated against women around the world is having a display of different instances of violence against women and girls throughout the world.

"From domestic violence, to rape, death by stoning, harassment, arrests, kidnapping, for those activists who dare to break social norms and cultural taboos to speak out.

"Women human rights defenders, women of imagination, courage and determination, their voices must be heard and their contributions must be recognised and encouraged."

She added: "Violence against women and girls is a human rights scandal; from the bedroom to the battlefield, from the schoolyard to the working place. A life free from violence is a human right."

For more information about the Women's Resource Centre visit www.wrcbermuda.com