The Office for Women at IUPUC will present a performance of The Vagina Monologues again this year on Saturday, February 8 at 7 p.m. in the Columbus Learning Center Lecture Hall. As part of the global V-Day Movement, the performance aims to bring attention to the issue of violence against women. The cost for the event is $10, with all proceeds benefiting Turning Point Domestic Violence Services.

The Vagina Monologues is an episodic play written by Eve Ensler based on interviews she conducted with more than 200 women. The play was first produced 1996 in New York and explores consensual and nonconsensual sexual experiences, body image, genital mutilation, direct and indirect encounters with reproduction, sex work, and several other topics through the eyes of women with various ages, races, sexualities, and other differences.

Spawned by the success of the play, Ensler, with a group of women in New York City, established “V-Day” on Valentine’s Day, 1998 in an effort to draw attention to the issue of violence against women and girls. The Vagina Monologues is the cornerstone of the V-Day movement, whose participants stage benefit performances of the show and/or host other related events in their communities.

“More than one in three women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence,” said Lesley Bradley, Coordinator for The Office of Women at IUPUC. “We launched the Vagina Monologues at IUPUC last year in order help raise awareness about the issue of violence against women and received a positive response from the community. This year we hope to increase our reach and generate new conversations about what can be done to support education and prevention efforts surrounding this important topic.”

Volunteers comprised of community members and IUPUC faculty, staff, and students will perform the play, which is provided royalty-free by Ensler with the stipulation that it must be performed only during the month of February, and that all proceeds benefit an organization working to end violence. All proceeds from this event will benefit Turning Point Domestic Violence Services.

Event Details
Date:      Saturday, February 8
Time:     7 p.m.
Place:    Columbus Learning Center Lecture Hall, 4555 Central Ave., Columbus, IN 47203

Cost:      $10 – advance sales online at http://bit.ly/IUPUC-VM2020 or at the door (cash only)

For more information, go to www.iupuc.edu/events/v-day or contact the IUPUC Office for Women via email to lbradle@iu.edu, or by calling (812) 348-7208.