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One Billion Rising to Stop Sexual Violence

Globally, more than one in three women is a victim of sexual violence at some point in their lives. That's one billion women and girls. One billion.
Pat Mitchell

Pat Mitchell

4 Min Read

1 Billion Rising in Delhi

Some days, like the ones this past week, it’s challenging to consume the news. So much of it is anxiety-producing, often leading to feelings of fear and helplessness — unless you’re also following the news of what individuals in nearly every part of the world are doing to turn from fear to action and from doubts about the difference one person, one voice, and one action can make by participating in a global collective action called One Billion Rising, the biggest mass action to end violence against women in human history. 

Unless you’re already aware of this extraordinary movement, founded by Eve Ensler out of the V-DAY movement to support local activists in organizing actions to end violence against women and girls, and following the news on OneBillionRising.org or their Twitter or Instagram feeds, you probably won’t find this news on any mainstream media platforms in the US. The Risings are front-page news in many other countries, but not here. Rather than trying to explain that, I’m offering a brief respite from bad news about the dangers of a global virus or watching the uncivil debates with an opportunity to be inspired by what millions of women and men and youth are doing to end gender based violence in nearly every country and hundreds of US cities. 

This is news that matters and actions that are making a difference.  

Globally, more than one in three women is a victim of sexual violence at some point in their lives. That’s one billion women and girls. One billion.

Every February (and first week of March) – in countries across the world – women and men rise up to create a new kind of consciousness about this violence, to dance, march, sing, and otherwise voice their resolve that this violence will no longer be tolerated and must be resisted until it is unthinkable.

One Billion Rising in Togo
One Billion Rising in Mielec, Poland
Images from One Billion Rising actions in Hong Kong, China; New Mexico, USA; and Kabul, Afghanistan; Togo; and Mielic, Poland.

Visit OneBillionRising.org for a more complete picture of all the risings that are having a huge and measurable impact on the future for women and girls.

In thousands of events around the world, activists are gathering to show our local communities and the world what one billion looks like and shine a light on the rampant injustice that survivors often face. All of the events are locally led and the activities reflect the communities that create them, from traditional dancing in Tokyo, to teach-ins in Togo and Kabul, to flash mobs in Hong Kong. 

One Billion Rising in Tokyo, Japan
One Billion Rising actions in the Netherlands; Tokyo, Japan; and Hamburg, Germany.

The rise of misogynist, authoritarian regimes the world over — from the United States to the Philippines, India to Brazil — has recalibrated the work of the movement, further escalating the urgency with which One Billion Rising activists feel compelled to fight for gender, climate, economic and racial justice.

This year’s theme is Revolution and in the coming week leading up to March 8, International Women’s Day, local leaders are organizing events and rising up with artistic and political resistance actions to end rape, battery, incest, sexual harassment, female genital mutilation, sexual slavery and trafficking, child marriage, femicide, sexual, gender and reproductive oppression, and violence towards LGBTQIA+ communities.

Join us!

— Pat

READY TO RISE? JOIN US! #RAISETHEVIBRATION

Plan a RISING, a V-Day benefit production, or a CITY OF JOY screening or house party in your college or community.

V-Day: Say It, Stage It – PRODUCE a V-Day benefit as an Artistic Uprising in your college/university, in your community.

One Billion Rising: Rise for Revolution – RISE in your community, for your community

City of Joy: Turn Pain to Power – SCREEN the documentary, SUPPORT the Women in DR Congo

Author(s)

  • Pat Mitchell

    Pat Mitchell is a lifelong advocate for women and girls. At every step of her career, Mitchell has broken new ground for women, leveraging the power of media as a journalist, an Emmy award-winning and Oscar-nominated producer to tell women’s stories and increase the representation of women onscreen and off. Transitioning to an executive role, she became the president of CNN Productions, and the first woman president and CEO of PBS and the Paley Center for Media. Today, her commitment to connect and strengthen a global community of women leaders continues as a conference curator, advisor and mentor. In partnership with TED, Mitchell launched TEDWomen in 2010 and is its editorial director, curator and host. She is also a speaker and curator for the annual Women Working for the World forum in Bogota, Colombia, the Her Village conference in Beijing, and the Women of the World (WOW) festival in London. In 2017, she launched the Transformational Change Leadership Initiative with the Rockefeller Foundation focused on women leaders in government and civil society. In 2014, the Women’s Media Center honored Mitchell with its first-annual Lifetime Achievement Award, now named in her honor to commend other women whose media careers advance the representation of women. Recognized by Hollywood Reporter as one of the most powerful women in media, Fast Company’s “League of Extraordinary Women” and Huffington Post’s list of “Powerful Women Over 50,” Mitchell also received the Sandra Day O'Connor Award for Leadership. She is a contributor to Enlightened Power: How Women Are Transforming the Practice of Leadership, and wrote the introduction to the recently published book and museum exhibition, 130 Women of Impact in 30 Countries. In 2016, she served as a congressional appointment to The American Museum of Women’s History Advisory Council. She is writing a memoir, Becoming a Dangerous Woman: Embracing a Life of Power and Purpose, that will be published in 2019. Mitchell is active with many nonprofit organizations, serving as the chair of the boards of the Sundance Institute and the Women’s Media Center. She is a founding member of the VDAY movement and on the boards of the Skoll Foundation and the Acumen Fund. She is also an advisor to Participant Media and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Mitchell is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia and holds a master's degree in English literature and several honorary doctorate degrees. She and her husband, Scott Seydel, live in Atlanta and have six children and 13 grandchildren.