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       Today violence against women occurs around the world. From the United States to the Democratic Republic of the Congo women are being beaten, raped and abused daily. However, V-Day, a global activist movement and organization that has been around for fifteen years, works to inform people about these atrocities in order to end violence against women and girls.

City of Joy

       Gina Maya, a Palo Alto resident and mother, works closely with V-Day. As part of V-Day, Maya traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the City of Joy in Bukavu, a revolutionary center for female survivors of gender violence. While in the DRC, Maya had the opportunity to meet women who suffered from horrible violence.

  “I was most impressed with the dignity, strength and resilience of the people I met,” Maya said.  “So many of the women [I] met have suffered so much and yet they continue to rise every day and continue to do what they can to help others.”

In the DRC, Maya met a woman named Masika who herself was the victim of rape and violence.

“[Masika] and her daughters were brutally raped and [Masika’s] husband was killed in the course of an attack on her home,” Maya said.

    Although Masika and her family suffered the unthinkable, she still perseveres in her everyday life. Today Masika has set up a center to help women and children who have been subjected to violence. She offers women and children physical, emotional and psychological aid.

“Many of these women would have nowhere to turn without [Masika],” Maya said. “I often wonder if I would have the strength of Masika and many of the other women and men I met who do amazing work to help their fellow members of society, often at great risk to themselves.”

One Billion Rising

      On February 14th, V-Day organized One Billion Rising, a day where men and women around the world rose up and danced to show their support against violence towards  women and girls. One Billion Rising unified supporters from around the world for one important cause and made people more aware of the violence that is taking place all over the planet. However, One Billion Rising’s main accomplishment was the motivation people felt to rise up against such horrible crimes, inching the world a little closer to the end of violence towards women and girls.

“I think it is important for women, and their fathers, brothers, husbands and friends to rise to highlight the fact that one in three women living today will be raped or beaten during her lifetime,” Maya said.

Vagina Monologues

After fifteen years of working to end violence, V-Day has raised $80 million to help fight violence against women and girls, and has touched thousands upon thousands of lives. V-Day also works closely with Eve Ensler the author of the Vagina Monologues.



“There is the College and Community Campaign which uses Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues and other artistic works to raise money for local organizations working to end violence against women and girls as well as raising awareness,” Maya said. “Last year there were over 5,500 performances of The Vagina Monologues worldwide, that number says a lot about how much awareness V-Day has raised about gender based violence.”

A Hope

Even after all the amazing work V-Day has put in to end violence against women, these atrocious attacks still occur. It is important for people young and old, male or female, to step up and take action to stop violence towards women.

“I truly do believe that the world won’t be a totally safe, healthy place until the violence against women comes to an end and women are allowed to flourish and receive equal opportunities in education and the work place throughout the world,” Maya said.

One Billion Rising  a major step in the right direction, “There were events in more than 200 countries on February 14th, including in Palo Alto.” It is time for everyone to rise and join Maya and countless others in the fight to end violent crimes.