By: Anastatia Ketchin
Today I want to talk to you about something very familiar and important to me. I want to discuss “them.” You’ve seen her at work wearing dark shades inside, quiet and standoffish. You’ve seen the children who were unusually shy and flinched at every little sound or sudden movement. Our friend who changes jobs and houses like she rotates underwear and becomes the joke of the day not knowing the true reason behind it. The alcoholic man who runs from commitment and abandons his children. Who are they? At some point or another they became victims.
Maybe they were physically, verbally, mentally or emotionally attacked. Or perhaps they heard the screams, pounding fists, slaps, belligerence. In just an instant each of their lives drastically changed. I know it’s a hard thing to discuss, but domestic violence happens more often than we know. Until we all acknowledge that fact, it will continue to happen very often. At some point we must say, “It happens. It needs to stop!”
On September 23–25, a group of amazing women and two extraordinary men stood at my side, took the stage and took a stand against domestic violence right here in Charleston, South Carolina. We were blessed with the opportunity to use playwright Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” to share the stories and experiences of others. After a conversation with a close friend, Eve was shocked to learn how much her friend despised her vagina. She later discovered many other women did too. After more than 200 interviews, “The Vagina Monologues” were birthed. It became Eve’s mission to help women see their vaginas and in turn see themselves as something beautiful and priceless. During her interviews there was a very disturbing common theme. Most of these women had endured some type of violence. Many had never shared before. As a result, V-Day and 1Billion Rising campaigns were created to stand up for women and girls while fighting to end violence toward them. In February 2017 D.R.I.V.E.N. LLC joins these campaigns, and with billions around the world we will disrupt life as usual as we dance, rise and speak up!
You see, we learned as Eve did that in order to love a woman you must love all of her—vagina included. As a woman we must learn to love all of ourselves. We can’t love most of ourselves or a portion and expect to feel whole. We were gifted with vaginas and must learn to love them. Vaginas are powerful, strong, beautiful, full of passion. Vaginas endure, persevere, can withstand. Vaginas keep on going even after bleeding, after cancer, after endometriosis, after storms and wars and disappointment. Vaginas bring life into this world. Vaginas birth our teachers, presidents, kings, queens, artists, entrepreneurs, firemen, heroes and heroines. Vaginas are undeniably resilient, compassionate and filled with love. Today we fight for our vaginas and their children, men, families. Everyone is affected by domestic violence, and it rips apart families.
In September, Geri Mason, Tiffany Smalls, Demetria Crenshaw, Lynnette Booth, Damon L. Fordham, Christopher Johnson and I became Vagina Warriors, and we are still fighting #FORHER and everyone attached to her! South Carolina has now dropped in national ranking from number one to number five. We still have a long way to go. Join us in February 2017 in Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” and “A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, and A Prayer” (MMRP). You will laugh, cry and most importantly grow. Rise up, Charleston. #FORHER!
For more information on V-Day and 1Billion Rising, please visit vday.org and 1billionrising.org. For more information on Ananstatia, her women’s support network (D.R.I.V.E.N.), or her various other ministries, to join D.R.I.V.E.N. LLC in V-Day Charleston, email anastatiadriven@gmail.com and follow us on Facebook or go to: www.togetherweshall. com