Funds raised by PEARR go to Women In Distress of Broward County, Inc., the only state certified, nationally accredited, full-service domestic violence center in the county. Women In Distress provides victims of domestic abuse with a 24-hour hotline, shelter, counseling, and educational programs.

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• Growing Awareness...

Sunday, January 27, 2008

The month of February, upon its arrival, brings about a sudden surge of chocolate, flowers, and hearts. This February, in particular, in addition to celebrating all things Valentine, marks the tenth anniversary of V-day. V-day is an international movement whose mission is to stop violence again women, and its website recites, “V is for Victory, Valentine, and Vagina.”

V-day began with the creation and performance of the “Vagina Monologues,” by Eve Ensler. What started as a local production has turned into a global movement in just a decade. Its message has resonated because, although it certainly highlights the horrors that women continue to suffer, it also serves to empower everyone. Time will only tell whether violence against women will truly ever be eradicated. Yet in the process, this organization has managed to find a common thread among humanity….the desire for self respect and the necessity of safety, safety in one’s body, in one’s community, in one’s world.

This is the second year of PEARR’s existence. We certainly don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but we would like to be a catalyst, a source of motivation, or maybe even just a local outlet for which to weave that common thread. We are still excited about our mission. We would probably be even more excited if there was no need for organizations like Women in Distress or V-day, because as V-Day proclaims in its own mission, the day that women don’t fear violence is a day to rename Valentine’s Day as “Victory Over Violence Day.”

Yet as Superbowl Sunday approaches, anecdotally, we can expect batterers to hit, punch, and berate much more than almost any other night of the year. So our mission continues and we cannot yet call February 14th a day of victory. But for every woman who survives, every child who is safe, and every person who is a little more aware, maybe we will have won another battle.

We share this information about V-day so that we can share with you the great company that we all keep. Please let us know that you still share this mission and let us know your thoughts about PEARR, about the month of February, about this blog. We will gladly keep sharing our thoughts and even our rants so long as we know that our words aren’t falling on deaf ears, so to speak. If nothing else, please just send us a comment to let us know you are with us on the battle lines.

Happy Valentine’s Day

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