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February V-Day Townhall

Posted by on Jan 1, 2013 in Events, Events, Blog & More!, Programs | 0 comments

A Girls Incorporated of San Antonio Town Hall Event

“Rising To End Violence Against Women and Girls”

Thursday, February 14, 2013

5:30 – 7:00PM

Girls Inc. of San Antonio

1209 South St. Mary’s, San Antonio, TX 78210

February 14th is more than Valentine’s Day.  It is V-Day – a day to rise up until the violence against women and girls stops.  Girls Inc. of San Antonio, whose mission is to “inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold,” will highlight National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention month by hosting a town hall presentation “Rising To End Violence Against Women and Girls,” on Thursday, February 14, 2013 from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM at Girls Inc. of San Antonio.

The UN Commission on the Status of Women reports a staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women and girls on the planet is beaten or sexually abused during her lifetime. The National Council on Crime and Delinquency also reports that 1 in 3 teens in the U.S. will experience physical, sexual or emotional abuse by someone they are in a relationship with before the age of 18.

This town hall panel will feature Deputy Chief Joseph MacKay of the San Antonio Police Department, Assistant Chief Geraldine Garcia of the San Antonio Police Department, Bruce Thompson, Clinical Director for The Children’s Shelter and Patricia Castillo, Founder of the P.E.A.C.E. Initiative.  Girls Inc. Mentors Valuing Peers (MVPs) participants ages 13-18 will lead a Q&A and pose candid questions to the experts about how we can eliminate gender-based violence in our community.

According to the U.S. State Department, gender-based violence is a global pandemic: it cuts across ethnicity, race, class, religion, education level, international borders and has the potential to affect women and girls at every point in their lives, from sex-selective infanticide, to child marriage, trafficking, domestic violence, female genital mutilation, “honor” killings, the neglect and ostracism of widows, sexual violence, rape as a tool of war, a lack of access to education and much more.

 As a premier authority on issues effecting girls in the Alamo City, Girls Inc. of San Antonio believes that this is one that cannot be ignored.  “We have to create a community that works to provide safety for girls so they can reach their highest potential,” says Rhonda Williamson, President/CEO for Girls Inc. of San Antonio, “When girls feel safe, they can become strong, smart, and bold – the leaders of our future.  It’s up to us to create this safe place.  Answering our girls’ questions about how to build a community focused on ending the violence they experience is a critical step.”

 

 

 

For more information about the press conference, please contact Amber Marcil, Girls Inc. Special Events & Communications Coordinator at amarcil@chshel.org or 210.212.2564.

Girls Inc. of San Antonio works to “inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and boldSM“.  We put our mission into practice through the Girls Inc. Experience, which enables girls to navigate gender, economic and social barriers and grow into healthy, educated and independent adults.   Girls Inc. of San Antonio is an affiliate of Girls Incorporated®, the oldest girl-centered organization in the United States, and a subsidiary of The Children’s Shelter.

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