Currents Spring 2020 (Vol. 36, No. 1) | Page 11

“PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF POLITICAL THEATER OF THE LAST DECADE.” - THE NEW YORK TIMES public outrage about the violence that mil- which women take to the streets and dance against the pain inflicted on women, adapting the dance and lions of women experience every day. V-Day was born of the belief that until these themes are addressed, these violations named and taken up by whole communities as an unacceptable desecration of human dignity, the violence will continue. their chants to their unique cultures. This year several AWCH members joined the other LFR club members to demonstrate. by Julia R. and Carol H. In eighteen years, the V-Day movement has raised over $100 million. What is One Billion Rising? The LFR has been supporting the ONE BILLION RISING campaign since its inception in 2012. It is the largest mass action to end violence against women in human history. The campaign, which launched on Valentine’s Day 2012, began as a call to action based on the stag- gering statistic that one in three women on the plan- et 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. One Billion Rising grew out of V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls, founded by Eva Ensler. It is now a global, autonomous movement of self-determined activists and local communities, in “We are loud, we are many, we dance and demon- strate against violence against girls and women, and for justice and solidarity.” — Heike Rubb, 2020 Organizer, (Mädchentreff) Schanzenviertel e.V. Photo from Carol H. The 'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine, and Vagina. www.awchamburg.org 11