Punk haircuts to raise money for Orange County Rape Crisis Center

In 2011, Rachel Valentine, community education director at the Orange County Rape Crisis Center, shaved her head in her living room. 

“We were just considering personal challenges of ways we could help with the development and fundraising of the center, and my idea was to get my friends to contribute money, and the outcome of that was if enough people donated, I would shave my head,” she said.

Now, four years later, over 100 people will be joining her at Local 506 on Friday to participate in “Punk Cuts to End Rape,” an annual fundraiser to raise money for the center. 

Individuals pledge an amount of their choice and raise money to meet their goal. Collectively, those individuals are called the PunkCut Crew members. If they meet their pledge amount, they are awarded with a buzz cut of their choice: mohawk, undercuts, side of the head, whole head shaved — anything goes as long as it involves hair clippers. 

This year, Valentine hopes the event raises $7,500, of which she hopes at least $1,400 will come from the live auction-style event where spontaneous individuals ask the crowd to pledge money toward their cut; if they reach their immediate, off-the-cuff goal, a nonprofessional shaves their head. 

After participants’ heads are newly shaved, Local 506 will turn into a dance party to celebrate. 

While the event was founded spontaneously, the punk spirit has a long tradition within the feminist community.

“Part of the inspiration behind the punk cut piece of it — rather than just calling it head shaving — is how I personally came into my feminism and sexual violence work is through really, really loving riot grrrl punk rock music and loving the DIY ethic of punk culture that fits really closely with the community organizing approach to sexual violence prevention,” Valentine said.

Cara Schumann, co-chairwoman of Students for Reproductive Justice and a junior, said that the link between punk rock and feminism have largely been intertwined in the messages represented. 

“There’s always been this idea of usurping the system, and I think punk rock is kind of about usurping the system, and feminism is too,” she said. “I mean, it’s about dismantling this maintained patriarchy and questioning why our society is the way it is, and I think that goes really well with the kind of system of music and values that is about questioning why society is the way it is.”

The event also provides a way for a more nontraditional donor base to get involved in the center, Valentine said.

“The audience I’m trying to target the most are the folks who believe in the mission of the Orange County Rape Crisis Center and may not see themselves as the traditional donor class but want to provide support in whatever way they can,” she said. 

In addition to fundraising, “Punk Cuts to End Rape” serves as a way to continue important work while having fun.

“I’m a companion with the rape crisis center — I’ve been with them since the fall of 2013 — so for me this is a really good event because we’re continuing to work on sexual assault awareness, but we can do this in a stress-free environment,” said senior Shannon Brien, who will attend the event. 

“I think that’s really important to have that opportunity to relax while working toward the same goal.”

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