Laura Cappelli, a medical student in the class of 2010, is one of 16 Johns Hopkins women performing this week in Eve Ensler's 'The Vagina Monologues.' Photo by Lisa Halbsgut

By Kelly Brooks-Staub
School of Nursing

This month, 16 students and staff members from the Johns Hopkins 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 V-Day 2008 Campaign, the group will host an academic forum, present a domestic violence workshop and stage two benefit performances of Eve Ensler's award-winning play The Vagina Monologues.

"We were fortunate to find a diverse and talented cast of women who truly care about fighting violence against women," said medical student Lisa Halbsgut, director of the JHU performances of The Vagina Monologues, which will be held Friday, Feb. 15, and Saturday, Feb. 16. "Despite our different backgrounds and experiences, we all share the common goals of spreading the word about violence against women and raising money to benefit charities that help women in need."

Proceeds from Johns Hopkins University V-Day 2008 events, planned and implemented entirely by volunteers from the three schools, will benefit Baltimore's victims of domestic violence at House of Ruth Maryland and Adelante Familia. Each organization also will receive 50 tickets to the play.

In 2007, the first year of this tri-school campaign, the Johns Hopkins group raised nearly $10,000 for Baltimore charities.

In addition to performing the play, the students organized a workshop and panel discussion to raise awareness of violence against women and girls. "In Her Shoes," held on Thursday, Feb. 7, is an interactive workshop in which participants simulate the roles of a victim of domestic violence and her abuser, with facilitator Ellyn Loy from House of Ruth Maryland. This week, on Tuesday, Feb. 12, experts from the Baltimore region will gather at Johns Hopkins for a discussion titled "The Role of Men in Preventing Violence Against Women."

"The Johns Hopkins University V-Day 2008 Campaign is a great opportunity to promote interaction among our three schools," said medical student Emily Heikamp, producer of the JHU performance of The Vagina Monologues. "As members of the medical community and the health care field, putting an end to violence and abuse is an important issue for all of us. It's amazing to see what these future Hopkins nurses, physicians and public health professionals can accomplish when they stand together."

The Johns Hopkins University V-Day 2008 Campaign wraps up this week on the East Baltimore campus with two events:

 

Schedule of Events

Panel Discussion: 'The Role of Men in Preventing Violence Against Women'
Tuesday, Feb. 12
6 p.m., Carpenter Room, School of Nursing
Panelists: Johnny Rice II, special assistant, Office of the Secretary, Maryland Department of Human Resources; Lisa Nitsch, program manager, Gateway Project, House of Ruth Maryland; Daniel Sheridan, associate professor, School of Nursing; Michael D. Lynch, bilingual neighborhood revitalization specialist, Baltimore County Office of Community Conservation; and Chris Murphy, professor of psychology, UMBC, and coordinator of the New Behaviors Program at the Howard County Domestic Violence Center
More info: Susana Vega at liliwarka@yahoo.com.

'The Vagina Monologues'
Friday, Feb. 15, and Saturday, Feb. 16
7 p.m., Turner Auditorium, JHH
Tickets: $10, available at the door or re- serve in advance by e-mailing jhmi.vagina.monologues@gmail.com.
More info: Emily Heikamp at emily.heikamp@jhmi.edu

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