USA: Hundreds dance to end violence against women

Record ID: 717983

  • Title: USA: Hundreds dance to end violence against women
  • Date: 14th February 2013
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 14, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WOMEN DANCING WOMAN HOLDING SIGN READING "SEXUAL FREEDOM FIGHTER"
  • Embargoed: 1st March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Crime,Social Services / Welfare
  • Reuters ID: LVA5U2MNF1NJWIEHVAAMFFOAX4HX
  • Story Text: In New York City as part of the One Billion Rising campaign, hundreds of women dance together to call for an end to violence against women and girls.


    Hundreds of women danced in the middle of Washington Square Park in New York City on Thursday (February 14) as part a global, grassroots effort to end violence against women and girls.
    It was part of the One Billion Rising campaign which planned public mass action events in 203 countries on Valentine's Day, according to organizers.
    The campaign is based on their statistic that 1 in 3 women worldwide will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. There are seven billion people on the planet.
    In New York, dancers, young and old, donned red and black clothing to dance in a show of strength and support for women's safety.
    "There's no reason for women to be objects, to be victims and if we just stood up and said no like we did today, I think we are half the world, we can do something," said Reiko Rizzuto after the dance.
    "The most important thing I can think of is I've seen a lot of people say, 'Oh this is a feminist movement. This is a divisive movement.' And it is not. It is very inclusive. And for me, I think what people need to realize is that if violence against women stops, then the whole world rises. It benefits everyone. I think we are all affected by it. If women are oppressed, if women can not express themselves, if women can not be who they are, then they can't fully support the men they love and be supported by them. And the men who love them can not be fully supported either. So it's a reciprocal thing. If all women rise, then all men rise and we all rise as a universe," added participant Joy Smith.
    One Billion Rising was organized by V-Day founder and award winning playwright Eve Ensler. V-Day is a activist movement that raises money and awareness about violence against women and girls through benefit productions of Ensler's play "The Vagina Monologues."
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