LEWISTON — On Feb. 14, several different groups in Lewiston-Auburn 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.
A collaboration of local agencies will host a focused event at noon at USM-LA College, at 3 p.m. in the Lewiston Library, at 5 p.m. at Bates College and at 5:45 p.m. at Shaw’s in Auburn. That collaboration includes the YWCA, Safe Voices, The Center for Wisdom’s Women, V-Day aUbUrn, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services, United Somali Women of Maine and Girl Power Fitness.
Community members are invited to actively participate or attend and observe. Anyone interested in participating can contact Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Services at 784-5272 for more details.
From 2:30 to 4 p.m. on that day, United Somali Women of Maine will host One Billion Rising at the Lewiston Public Library. Members of the community are invited to come out and support the women of the world and rise against the atrocity of violence in their honor. For more information about this event, contact United Somali Women of Maine at 753-0061.
Beginning at 4:30 in the Underground of 280 College St., Bates College will host a rising which includes a capella performances, fun music, pledges, photos and activities and a fun surprise event.
One Billion Rising began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than 1 billion women and girls.
“When we started V-Day 14 years ago, we had the outrageous idea that we could end violence against women,” said 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.”
V-Day is a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of playwright/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 in the U.S. 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 around the world. V-Day’s newest campaign is One Billion Rising.
To learn more about V-Day activities in Androscoggin County, visit onebillionrising.org and search for local events.
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