UW Students Plan One Billion Rising Events Feb. 10

University of Wyoming students will join activists around the world this month in an effort to end violence against women and girls.

One Billion Rising, described as the largest global action to end violence against women and girls in human history, is launching its third year with “One Billion Rising: Revolution,” calling for a radical shift to end the global epidemic of abuse that women face worldwide. Thousands of events will take place around the globe on and around the week of Feb. 14.

At UW, the Associated Master’s of Social Work Students of Wyoming (AMSW2) will hold events at the Wyoming Union Tuesday, Feb. 10.

The students will have a table in the Wyoming Union breezeway from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. to raise awareness of gender-based violence and to share materials about healthy relationships, where to go to seek help and how to help others.

At noon, students and local residents will meet in the breezeway for a “freeze mob,” in which participants will raise further awareness of the issues that many women face in America and abroad.

From 4:15-6:15 p.m., AMSW2 will host a discussion panel on domestic violence and sexual assault in the Wyoming Union’s Big Horn Room 203. Food will be provided.

The One Billion Rising events around the world are intended to highlight, spark and mobilize artistic and community-based initiatives to bring equality, dignity and freedom for all women and girls.

“One in three women across the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. That’s one billion women and girls,” says Eve Ensler, playwright, activist and founder of One Billion Rising. “Every February, we rise -- in hundreds of countries across the world -- to show our local communities and the world what one billion looks like and shine a light on the rampant impunity and injustice that survivors most often face.”

For more information about the local events, contact Megan O’Brien, (407) 625-0489 or mobrie10@uwyo.edu; or Neely Mahapatra at (307) 766-6864. More information about One Billion Rising may be found at www.onebillionrising.org.