Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Public Health Join in Opposing Violence Against Women

This February, Johns Hopkins University (JHU) students and staff members from the Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Public Health will come together to raise funds and awareness to stop violence against women and girls.  As part of the global 2007 V-Day Campaign, the 17 women will host academic discussion forums, coordinate a dinner and swing dancing fundraiser, hold a silent auction, and present two benefit performances of Eve Ensler’s award-winning play, The Vagina Monologues.

This is the first year that the Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Public Health have joined together for a V-Day Campaign.  When The Vagina Monologues was produced at the School of Nursing last year, nursing student Susana Vega auditioned for the cast, then ended up volunteering as a production assistant.  It was the first time she had ever seen the program.  “I had planned to organize a School of Nursing production again this year, but when students from the other schools began e-mailing me about the show, I just couldn’t refuse,” explains Vega, who is producing this year’s show.

“Domestic violence is such an important issue for people in the health care field.  It’s wonderful that we can get people involved from all three schools on the Hopkins medical campus,” says Laura Cappelli, a Hopkins medical student in the class of 2010, and one of two co-directors for the JHU performance of The Vagina Monologues.  She adds, “The performance is an amazing example of interdisciplinary collaboration!”

Proceeds from the Hopkins V-Day events-planned and implemented entirely by volunteers from the three schools-will benefit Baltimore’s victims of domestic violence at The House of Ruth Maryland and Adelante Familia.  Each benefiting organization will also receive 50 free tickets to attend the performance.

“The Vagina Monologues is now a global show and has a message that translates across cultures to women everywhere.  It’s important to give women in our local community-who might not otherwise have the means-an opportunity to see this show,” says Caitlin Gerdts, the show’s co-director and a master’s student at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. 

According to Vega: “We have been able to do much more this year-in terms of raising funds and violence awareness-due to the resources we have through collaborating.  We hope to send a message: that violence against women is, quite simply, unacceptable.  Even if each of us can contribute only some small thing to this cause, we must do it.”

The Johns Hopkins 2007 V-Day Campaign consists of the following events during the month of February:

The Vagina Monologues (and silent auction)
Friday, Feb. 16 and Saturday, Feb. 17
7:00 p.m.
Turner Auditorium, Johns Hopkins Hospital
720 N. Rutland Avenue, Baltimore
Tickets: $10/$8 for JHU students, available at the door
More info: Susana Vega at [email protected].

V-Day Meet & Eat: Dinner & Dancing
Monday, Feb. 12
6:15 p.m.
Austin Bar and Grill in Canton
2400 Boston Street, Baltimore
Quesadilla buffet dinner & swing-dancing lesson
$20 in advance, $25 at the door
+$5 for profile matching
More info: [email protected] or www.aiyah.org/vday

Panel Discussion: “Believe: Family Violence On A Local and Global Level”
Monday, Feb. 5
7:00 p.m.
Carpenter Room, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
525 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore
More info: Susana Vega at [email protected].

Panelists:

• Dr. Jacquelyn Campbell, Professor
  Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing

• Ellyn Loy, Counselor
  House of Ruth Maryland

• Blanca Picazo, Advocate
  Adelante Familia

• Dr. Phyllis Sharps, Associate Professor
  Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing

Panel Discussion: “Preventing Violence Against Women: The Role of Men”
Wednesday, Feb. 14
5:00 p.m.
Carpenter Room, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
525 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore
More info: Susana Vega at [email protected].

Presenters:

• Lisa Nitsch, Program Manager
  Gateway Project, House of Ruth Maryland

• Alfredo Santiago, Group Facilitator
  Si Puedo (Latino Abuser Intervention Program), Adelante Familia

• Dr. Daniel Sheridan, Associate Professor
  Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing

• David Thomas, Assistant Director
  Domestic Violence Education Program, Johns Hopkins University