Students rise to stop violence against women across the world

York St John University students are inviting residents and visitors to York to rise together in a bid to stop violence against women across the world as part of One Billion Rising, the largest day of action in the history of V-Day, the global activist movement to end violence against women and girls.

The event will take place at 12 noon on Thursday 14 February, V-Day’s 15^th anniversary, when York St John students, staff and the local community will come together in a collective group action, taking ten minutes to rise slowly from lying to standing in St Sampson’s Square, York.

Dr Fiona Thompson, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, said: “During One Billion Rising, we will be joining activists, writers, thinkers, celebrities, and women and men across the world as we express outrage, we demand change and we rise in defiance of the injustices women suffer, demanding an end at last to violence against women. Our students are very passionate about raising awareness and demanding an end to this violence. We would love it if the York community could join us to show their support, either by taking part in the rise or just coming along to watch.”

One Billion Rising began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than one billion women and girls.