Today is the 15th anniversary of V-Day, a global initiative to end violence against women and girls. According to its website, V-Day is “a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM), and sex slavery.”
In celebration of its 15th anniversary, V-Day launched One Billion Rising this year. It is estimated that one in three women will experience violence in their lifetime—which equals out to over 1 billion women worldwide. One Billion Rising calls for one billion women to rise up, stand out, and demand an end to such violence.
Through benefit performances, V-Day has raised both awareness and funds that help fight violence everywhere. In 2012, over 5,800 benefits took place on V-Day around the world. If violence against women is ever to end, we need to show the world a front of solidarity—no matter where we live, what we look like, or who we are—and that’s just what V-Day seeks to do.
In the fifteen years since it began, V-Day has raised over $90 million, which it distributes to grassroots, international and national organizations alike. It reaches across 167 countries worldwide and has consistently been named a top non-profit organization by sources like Marie-Claire Magazine, Worth Magazine, and GreatNonprofits.
The “V” in V-Day stands for many things, as does the organization itself. First, it stands for “Victory,” then for “Valentine,” and lastly for “Vagina.”