April Awareness Brings May Prevention

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Join the Julie Valentine Center at the Julie Valentine Memorial on April 28th from 5:30- 7:00

"In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, JVC will bring awareness to the issues of sexual violence in our community with a presentation and bell ringing ceremony in Cleveland Park.  Join us at the Julie Valentine Memorial as we come together to support survivors of sexual violence and take a stand against these crimes in our community. The ringing of one bell, one voice calls attention; the collective ringing of a commuinty of bells brings about change.

Guest Vocalist, Ella Mae Bowen will be performing as well.  Ella Mae and her producer Seth Bolt, who is the bass player for NEEDTOBREATHE, wrote "When I Look in the Mirror."  The song is about the struggles they have seen others face due to family violence and the toll it can take on a family.  They have both been blessed with loving families, and feel fortunate."  - GRCCAC.ORG   

Domestic Violence; Everybody's Doing It!

Domestic Violence Census 2010 Results

On September 15th, 2010...

• 70,648 Victims of Domestic Violence Served
• 9,541 Unmet Requests for Services
• 29% Shelters Reported Not Enough Staff
• 23,522 Emergency Hotline Calls Answered
• 82% of Programs Reported Higher Demand for Services

Make sure that September 15th, 2011 is different :

Volunteer at a Shelter Today !

Safe Harbor "Breaking the Cyle"

Safe Harbor helps victims of domestic violence Greenville, Pickens, Anderson and Oconee Counties.  Their facilities are mostly used for safe emergency shelter. But, they also provide counseling, legal advocacy, and community outreach and education. 

As I have mentioned in previous posts, education is an important element to stopping domestic violence. Society must be informed in order to raise awareness and provide help. 

Did You Know ? 

• 1 in 3 teens will experience violence in a relationship.  Two-thirds of them will never report it to anyone (breakthecycle.org)

• Females between the ages of 16-24 are more vulnerable to intimate partner violence than any other age group (US Dept. of Justice)

• Teen dating violence runs across race, gender, and socio-economic lines (National Center for Victims of Crime)

What Can You Do? 

Safe Harbor is providing a program they call "breaking the cycle." 

According to their website, breaking the cycle is a: 

"One-day training sponsored by Safe Harbor, teachers, guidance counselors, coaches, and youth leaders will learn about the facts and warning signs of teen dating violence and how to effectively assist students who are dealing with violence in their relationships (safety planning, cultural competency, etc).  Professional trainers from BreakTheCycle.Org (a national nonprofit organization addressing the issue of teen dating violence) will lead this training."

Also on June 4th Safe Harbor is providing a cycle tour through the scenic upstate. Choose a 25 mile or 65 mile course. Register now for $40 at www.safeharborcylcetour.org 

Safe Harbor also encourages women to recognize if they are in an abusive relationship. They provide a web page with criteria for an abusive relationship. 

Just like any other safe shelter, or crisis center they need volunteers to continue to provide their wonderful services. Get involved. Donate your time to the Safe Harbor and make a difference. 

Visit The Safe Harbor Website for a list of volunteer opportunities. 

The Night We Took Back

Take back the night was a huge success. There were 5 different stories or poems read by student volunteers. One of the monologues read was titled "My Short Skirt."

My short skirt is not an invitation 
a provocation 
an indication 
that I want it 
or give it 
or that I hook. 

  My short skirt 
is not begging for it 
it does not want you 
to rip it off me 
or pull it down. 

  My short skirt 
is not a legal reason 
for raping me 
although it has been before 
it will not hold up 
in the new court. 

  My short skirt, believe it or not 
has nothing to do with you. 

  My short skirt 
is about discovering 
the power of my lower calves 
about cool autumn air traveling 
up my inner thighs 
about allowing everything I see 
or pass or feel to live inside. 

  My short skirt is not proof 
that I am stupid 
or undecided 
or a malleable little girl. 

  My short skirt is my defiance 
I will not let you make me afraid 
My short skirt is not showing off 
this is who I am 
before you made me cover it 
or tone it down. 
Get used to it.

  My short skirt is happiness 
I can feel myself on the ground. 
I am here. I am hot. 
  My short skirt is a liberation 
flag in the women's army 
I declare these streets, any streets 
my vagina's country. 

  My short skirt 
is turquoise water 
with swimming colored fish 
a summer festival 
in the starry dark 
a bird calling 
a train arriving in a foreign town 
my short skirt is a wild spin 
a full breath 
a tango dip 
my short skirt is 
initiation 
appreciation 
excitation. 

  But mainly my short skirt 
and everything under it 
is Mine. 
Mine. 
Mine. 

To close Take Back the Night Stephanie Shatto spoke on behalf of the Julie Valentine Center (formally the Greenville Rape Crisis Center). Ms. Shatto informed the audience that sexual violence and abuse effects everyone. She shared a few statistics with the audience. One in six boys will be sexually abuse before they are 15. One particular statistic hit home with me. One in every four college women will experience some type of sexual harassment or assault before she graduates. That means in the room I am in now 4 girls have or will be a victim of sexual abuse. 

She ended the event by urging the audience to volunteer. Referring to the Julie Valentine Center: 

 " We were started by volunteers and need volunteers to help the community." 

Chances are, you have been victimized or personally know a victim of sexual assault. Volunteer your time for them, for the millions of men and women across the world who  are trying to take back the night. 

Save the Night to Take One Back !

Don't Forget Tomorrow at 7 in the PDEN.

Take Back the Night

Who is Julie Valentine?

The Greenville Rape Crisis and Child Abuse Center was founded in 2001. It was a result of the combining of the Greenville Rape Crisis, Prevent Child Abuse Greenville, and the Greenville Children's Advocacy Center. However, recently the GRCCAC has undergone some changes.
The center has changed its name to the Julie Valentine Center. Julie Valentine was a newborn baby found in the woods of east Greenville on February 13, 1990. Despite police efforts her parents were never found, and her identity was never recovered. The police named her Julie Valentine because she was found so close to Valentine's Day. Her name represents a symbol for hope against child abuse, and rape. The Greenville Rape Crisis Center was formally renamed the Julie Valentine Center on February 14th, 2011.  

Get Involved!

The Julie Valentine Center has great opportunities to volunteer. The center has changed its name but it still offers the same services to its clients in need. But, the center needs volunteers in order to help as many victims as possible. The center has flexible hours and has many different options for volunteer work.

The following is a list of volunteer opportunities currently available at GRCCAC:

• Advocacy
• Child Care
• Speaker's Bureau
• Office/Administration
• Internships
• Fundraising
• General
• Group Projects
• Main Street Jazz
• Downtown Alive
• Fall for Greenville

Julie Valentine statue outside of the newly renovated Julie Valentine Center

For more information, or to request a volunteer application, contact us at volunteer@grccac.org

Shatter the Silence, Stop the Violence

Take Back the Night

Furman University Paladen Stage

Tuesday April 5th 

"A woman walks alone down a dark, deserted street. With every shadow she sees, and every sound she hears, her pounding heart flutters and skips a beat. She hurries her pace as she sees her destination become closer. She is almost there. She reaches the front door, goes inside, collects herself, and moves on forgetting, at least for tonight, the gripping fear that momentarily enveloped her life.This scene could have occurred anywhere last night, last year, or even 100 years ago. Historically, women faced the anxiety of walking alone at night and that is why Take Back the Night began."

- Take Back the Night

Stephanie Corkery: Vagina Monologues' Director

I also sat down with the director of the Vagina Monologues, Stephanie Corkery a senior theater major,  and got her take on the show. 

 What made you interested in the Vagina Monologues?

I saw a production my senior year of high school at a nearby college and loved it. 

What was the best part about the production?

I love that girls of all backgrounds and levels of theatrical experience come together for this common cause. It's a really safe and encouraging environment and a really unique experience. There's a monologue for all comfort levels, so no one is excluded.  

Which is your favorite monologue? 

 This is hard. I cant even pick a favorite movie. I guess I would say. No I dont know if i can. They are all so different and portray different messages and themes that have to do with women, abuse, celebration, etc. If I absolutely have to pick i guess i would say the flood. Its the one about an old woman who is convinced to talk about her "down there" She tells the humorous story of how she got too excited and "flooded" all over some boy's car when she was young. She closed up shop and never got close to anyone and through the interview she opens up and finally accepts her womanhood. There is such a heart breaking moment when you find out she had cancer and lost everything down there. She is so optimistic about it and says that she's fine and sells antiques and goes to dog shows. It has humor, heartache, and honesty. such a great one but the others are excellence too. 

Thanks to Stephanie for taking the time for the interview! Stephanie and Anna both donated their time for a cause they believed in. I advocate my readers to do the same. Domestic Violence and violence against women is something that needs to be brought to the public's attention. There are many ways to get involved. Even going to the show is a small way that helps.  Becoming educated is the first step. 

Why Vaginas?

Although the Vagina Monologues discussed in the previous post do not fight domestic violence specifically it is important in the horrible problem of domestic violence. The way society sees women is at the root of domestic violence and violence against women. Anna Bower is a sophomore Philosophy major with a concentration in Women's Studies at Furman University. She produced the Vagina Monologues at Furman. I interviewed her after the final show of the Monologues.



What made you interested in the Vagina Monologues? 


This is actually a question I've been thinking a lot about lately. And honestly, I'm not quite sure I know the answer. I've been involved with raising awareness for gender issues for quite some time now, and I can't say that there is really one specific experience or incident that made me interested in becoming an advocate for these issues...Instead, it has been the simple fact of going through life as "female" that has made me aware of the need for productions like "The Vagina Monologues." The author Sue Monk Kidd said that women act as "translators" in this world, and I think what she meant by that is that a woman's life is dictated by a language created by man and created for man. And as such women are always forced to translate this language and apply it to their unique experiences. In my view "The Vagina Monologues" is basically saying 'fuck the language of Maleness....let's create our own.' And I think there is a real need for that sort of attitude...an attitude of creation. So I guess I just I felt like that creative spirit, as well as TVM's aim to raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual abuse, was something worthwhile for me to thrown myself into. 






What was your favorite part?


 My favorite part by far was getting to know the cast. I would dare to say that they are the most badass group of people on campus. Their passion and dedication to the production was inspiring. After the closing night performance we all had a cast party in the theatre with cookie cake, pizza, and sweet potato cake from Brick Street. We had tons of fun just telling stories and talking about our experiences with VM. We even had a professor, Dr. Carmela Epright, participate in the production and then come to the party and it was very cool to get to know a professor on a level outside of school. 






What is your favorite monologue ?


My favorite monologue was one that my friend, Layla Tumler, participated in. It is actually the Introduction so it is not typically what people would call their "favorite," but I loved it because I was so proud of my friend for having the courage to say "VAGINA" in front of 300 people. She is not the type who would typically be comfortable doing that, and I thought seeing her up on stage just represented everything that VM stands for: a bringing together of all women, whether it be theatre nerd, sorority girl, athlete, etc 




What other events does Furman put on that advocate for an end to violence against women? 


The Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention (SHARP) committee puts on many events that aim to end violence against women. Upcoming events include Take Back the Night and the Clothesline Project. 




Thanks for reading, and look out for new posts about Take Back the Night and the Clothesline Project. 

If Vaginas Could Talk...

If Vaginas could talk what would they say ?

Eve Ensler, a feminist playwright, asked this question in 1996 and she got 200 answers. Ensler interviewed 200 women on what they thought about violence towards women, relationships, sex and body issues. The interviews revealed personal accounts and stories dealing with women, femininity, and more personally vaginas.

Ensler turned these interviews into a play consisting of several monologues. The purpose of the monologues are to raise awareness and stop violence against women. These monologues have been performed around the world.

This semester at my school, Furman University, the Vagina Monologues were performed. Several of my friends participated in the monologues. The Vagina Monologues were seen by 531 people at Furman and raised over $3,500 for Safe Harbor.  Safe Harbor provides care and shelter for victims of domestic violence in the Greenville, South Carolina area.

Furman University cast of Vagina Monologue

The Vagina Monologues brings the issue of domestic violence to the public eye. Vagina are something society ignores and tries to hide. But Eve Ensler and the participants and supporters of the monologues understand that domestic violence is a real issue that needs to be addressed.

For more information on the monologues and the V-Day movement visit About V-Day .

Domestic Violence: Not So Bad?

Do you support domestic violence, rape, or physical abuse against women?  Probably not. However, today's society is sending mixed signals on this issue. 

Recent debates in the U.S. House of Representatives points to confusion on what constitutes rape. 

Some of these lawmakers went as far as to use the words “forcible rape,” a term constructed as to not include date rape, statutory rape, or rape where a woman had been drugged to further restrict abortion funding.  

In other words, it would not really be rape, to House Republicans, unless a woman was struggling to get away in the moment and the aggressor was a complete stranger. Outside of these narrow political minds, though, most people would understand the term “forcible rape” to be redundant. 

Conservative lawmakers are not the only ones sending mixed signals on rape and domestic violence. American celebrities cannot figure it out either. Rihanna, a pop music star, was physically abused by her then-boyfriend Chris Brown, also a music celebrity. It took her a while to figure out the relationship was unhealthy, despite plenty of media talk condemning the violence.

Then, she agreed to be featured on rapper Eminem’s single “Love the Way You Lie.”

The music video makes domestic violence sexy, showing the sensual couple in several physical altercations that merge intense pleasure with tragic violence.  The video shows that relationships are passionate, and carries this logic to the extreme: without violence in your relationship, you really may not really love one another deep enough.

This is a serious problem.

According to domestic violence statistics, in the U.S. every 9 seconds a woman is assaulted or beaten, and approximately 10 million children witness domestic violence each year.

With all the mixed messages surrounding this topic, what will these 10 million children think? It is well known that children who have witnessed domestic violence are more likely to be in an abusive relationship.  Chris Brown, the abusive rapper mentioned before, witnessed his mother’s abuse as a child.

This blog's purpose is to take a clear stance: domestic violence is wrong. I hope to give you insight on today's domestic violence problem and ways that you can help. It is important that we recognize the mixed signals that our society is sending. 

Domestic violence is a serious problem and we must take steps to change it.