Kent State Joins Global Campaign One Billion Rising to Stop Violence Against Women and Girls, Feb. 14

Feb. 14 to be V-Day’s Largest Day of Action Ever

On Feb. 14, at various times and locations across campus, the Kent State University Women’s Center will join with activists around the world for One Billion Rising, the largest day of action in the history of V-Day, the global activist movement to end violence against women and girls.

One Billion Rising began as a call to action based on the statistic that one in three women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at seven billion, this adds up to more than one billion women and girls. On Feb. 14, 2013, V-Day’s 15th anniversary, the Women’s Center at Kent State University will join activists, writers, thinkers, celebrities, and women and men across the world as they express their outrage, demand change, strike, dance and rise in defiance of the injustices women suffer, demanding an end to violence against women.

“When we started V-Day 14 years ago, we had the outrageous idea that we could end violence against women,” said playwright and V-Day founder Eve Ensler. “Now, we are both stunned and thrilled to see that this global action is truly escalating and gaining force, with union workers, parliament members, celebrities and women of all backgrounds coming forward to join the campaign. When we come together on Feb. 14, 2013, to demand an end to violence against women and girls, it will be a truly global voice that will rise up.” 

As part of the One Billion Rising global campaign, the Women’s Center at the university is teaming up with Women’s Studies, Kent Interhall Council, the Fashion Student Organization, Kent Freethinkers and many others on campus to raise awareness about the oppression of and violence against women.

“Throughout the day, there will be opportunities to participate, and the Women’s Center extends an invitation to the community to join us,” said Cassandra Pegg-Kirby, assistant director of the Women’s Center at Kent State. “Anyone can participate by learning the Break the Chains dance found on the One Billion Rising website at www.onebillionrising.org, coming by in support or signing the pledge to rise up and help end the violence. Those interested can visit the Women’s Center webpage or Facebook page for information starting Wednesday, Feb. 13, for times to rise and dance on Thursday, Feb. 14.”

There also will be information tables and pledge signing around campus throughout the day, including:

• 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Kent Student Center
• 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Rockwell Hall Atrium
• 4:30 p.m.-7 p.m. at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center

To learn more about V Day Kent State University, call 330-672-9230 or e-mail wc@kent.edu.

About V-Day
V-Day is a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of playwright and founder Eve Ensler’s award-winning play “The Vagina Monologues” and other artistic works. In 2012, more than 5,800 V-Day benefit events took place produced by volunteer activists in the United States and around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls. To date, the V-Day movement has raised more than $90 million and educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it, crafted international educational, media and PSA campaigns, reopened shelters, and funded more than 14,000 community-based anti-violence programs and safe houses in Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt and Iraq. More than 300 million people have seen a V-Day benefit event in their community. V-Day has received numerous acknowledgements including Worth magazine’s 100 Best Charities, Marie Claire magazine’s Top Ten Charities, one of the top-rated organizations on Philanthropedia/Guidestar and Great Nonprofits. V-Day’s newest campaign is One Billion Rising, which will culminate on Feb. 14, 2013, with a global action worldwide. To learn more about V Day and its campaigns, visit www.vday.org.

 # # #

Media Contacts:
Cassandra Pegg-Kirby, cpeggkir@kent.edu, 330-672-9230
Emily Vincent, evincen2@kent.edu, 330-672-8595