By EMILY PEREZ
Women’s Initiative
It is that time again; soon on college campuses across the globe, the poignant and hilarious Vagina Monologues will be performed to benefit women everywhere. The monologues are a joyous celebration of the beauty and power of female sexuality based on interviews with over 200 women about their memories and experiences of sexuality. The Vagina Monologues gives voice to women’s most hidden and sincere thoughts in a series of 14 compelling monologues. The play has motivated a forceful and ever growing movement–V-Day–to stop violence against women.
The revenue generated from these events is impressive and powerful. College and community campaigners raise over $4 million for local groups such as domestic violence shelters and rape crises centers yearly. Through creativity and dedication, activists all over the world unite through the performance of the monologues to rally support and funding for the same cause.
Each year V-Day spotlights a specific population of women who are threatened by violence and poverty with the goal of raising responsiveness and funds to put an international media focus on them and to give support to hands on volunteers attempting to assist them.
In 2012, V-Day’s Spotlight Campaign will focus on the women and girls of Haiti. The Spotlight will demonstrate unconscionable levels of violence occurring in Haiti and will focus on the increased sex based crimes that have occurred since the enormously destructive earthquake that took place in January 2010. All funds raised through the Spotlight Campaign will be used to support a groundbreaking nationwide program in Haiti led by an alliance of activists. The program will aim to end sexual violence through education, community restoration and the establishment of therapeutic healing centers.
Through the passionate support and dedication of The Women’s Initiative and Identity, The College of Saint Rose will be holding yet another V-Day campaign in order to lend our support to the crusade to end violence against women. In early March we will be staging two performances of the monologues, with all proceeds benefitting a local charity. However we need actresses and volunteers to make the show possible! If you are at all interested in finding out more on what the show is all about, lending a hand with selling tickets, or getting up on stage; please come to the first interest meeting, which will take place on January 31st at 6pm in the commuter lounge. We encourage and welcome first time performers and absolutely anyone who would like to help with this fantastic cause! To give all readers an even more nuanced picture of what this campaign aims to accomplish, below is the official mission statement of the V-Day organization.
V-Day is an organized response against violence toward women.
V-Day is a vision: We see a world where women live safely and freely.
V-Day is a demand: Rape, incest, battery, genital mutilation and sexual slavery must end now.
V-Day is a spirit: We believe women should spend their lives creating and thriving rather than surviving or recovering from terrible atrocities.
V-Day is a catalyst: By raising money and consciousness, it will unify and strengthen existing anti-violence efforts. Triggering far-reaching awareness, it will lay the groundwork for new educational, protective, and legislative endeavors throughout the world.
V-Day is a process: We will work as long as it takes. We will not stop until the violence stops.
V-Day is a fierce, wild, unstoppable movement and community. Join us!
