V-Day Takes Aim at Violence

V-Day 2001 is a movement designed to raise awareness and put an end to sexual violence around the world. This week, UNC will participate as one of more than 200 schools involved with V-Day through a program called the College Initiative.

And the week kicked off Monday night with a discussion titled, "Men and Women: Working Together to End Violence Against Women."

Junior Kim Benton is credited with bringing the movement to UNC.

Benton got the idea after watching a September episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" about atrocities against women. "Oprah really made me see things that were going on, and I wanted to help or fix something," she said.

Benton logged onto Web sites and found a link to V-Day. She signed up for a campus contact under the College Initiative program.

The V-Day College Initiative invites colleges and universities to mount productions of "The Vagina Monologues" on their campuses.

"The Vagina Monologues" is an award-winning play by Eve Ensler detailing the different perspectives of women and their sexuality through a series of monologues. Benton said she got six other UNC women together in November and then began planning to bring the play and other events to UNC.

The play will run Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. at Playmakers Theatre. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Orange County Rape Crisis Center to help victims in the area, said Benton.

Sophomore Emma Griffis, publicity coordinator for the initiative, said the play will demonstrate all the issues V-Day represents. "Hopefully, the play and the week will bring attention to some of the issues about being a woman," she said.

Junior Alicia Ammons, treasurer of the organization, said this week is important because it focuses on issues that are not usually discussed. "We want to get everyone involved with issues that aren't always out in the open," she said.

Benton said she too felt the necessity to increase awareness. "The motto of the movement is, 'V-Day Breaking the Silence,'" she said. "It's time to get the message out there."

V-Day week features programs such as a lecture on pornography from the feminist perspective, Pit speakers and a lecture on violence against women as a religious ritual focusing on genital mutilation.

Benton said she was extremely excited to bring this national event to UNC. "This is a great way for the campus to step up and say enough is enough," she said. "This kind of violence has to stop."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.