Published by The Source Weekly

In 1994, playwright Eve Ensler broke new ground with the play, “The Vagina Monologues.” What started out as a piece of art aimed at addressing women’s sexuality and the social stigma surrounding rape and abuse spawned the non-profit organization V-Day—an activist movement that works to end violence against women and girls by raising funds and awareness through benefit productions of “The Vagina Monologues” and other works. V-Day has reached billions of people around the world, and this month, two V-Day campaigns are bringing unique productions of “The Vagina Monologues” to two different venues in Bend. [Read More…]

Published by The Source Weekly

Two Local Nonprofits Address Women’s Issues Head On

This past September, for the first time in 20 years, the Women’s Foundation of Oregon released Count Her In—a comprehensive, data-driven report about Oregon’s women and girls. The findings were sobering and revealed inequities that pose immense challenges for girls and women in the state. Two of the more startling issues included wage disparity and the overwhelming prevalence of sexual and domestic violence.

According to Count Her In, Oregon women earn between 53 and 83 cents for every dollar men in Oregon earn. Just as jarring is the finding that over half of the state’s females have experienced some form of sexual or domestic violence—one of the highest rates in the country. Saving Grace and World Muse are two local nonprofits that are addressing the issues outlined in the report, providing programs designed to raise awareness while protecting and empowering local women. [Read More…]