Happy Valentine’s Day! Or, as some may say, Happy V Day! *
Turns out Valentine’s Day and V Day don’t mean the same thing. But they’re both celebrated - or acknowledged - every year on February 14.
On this day of love, let's look at the meaning of V Day.
V Day is a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls. It was started by author, playwright and activist, Eve Ensler.
Do a quick google search of “violence against women” and one haunting statistic will repeatedly bare itself from a variety of sources: One in three women across the planet will be beaten or raped in her lifetime. That’s ONE BILLION women and girls. #1billionrising
Another commonly cited statistic: Women are more likely to be physically and sexually assaulted or murdered by someone they know – often a family member or intimate partner. #TimesUp
According to the UN General Assembly, violence against women and girls is one of the most systematic and widespread human rights violations. It is rooted in gendered social structures, rather than individual and random acts; it cuts across age, socio-economic, education and geographic boundaries; affects all societies; and is a major obstacle to ending gender inequality and discrimination globally.
As women, we must stand up, stand together and be strong. There are many, many ways to get involved in this important movement. Check out these two links for a starting point:
Vday.org
onebillionrising.org
* Editor’s note: Be careful with your abbreviations because they don't always translate into what you think they mean.