Picking up the pieces is growing by leaps and bounds from brave women that have contacted me from all over the country. I can not tell you the depth of appreciation I feel that you are willing to share your stories. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you are struggling or have been a victim of domestic violence and would like to write an article for us please contact (me) Mary Anne Mackey-Wisor at wisors@verizon.net. Please forward any comments you would like to share about this section of the magazine to me. I look forward to hearing from you.

We will announce in our April issue how much we made for the Sharon Fisher Basset Memorial Fund from the fundraiser in our February issue. Thank you for your support no matter how small your donation it will help us get the word out.

THANK YOU MESSAGE FROM ACTRESS NICOLE KIDMAN RECEIVED MARCH 10TH, 2008
nicole.kidman@unifemsaysnotoviolence.org
Thank you so much for joining me in saying "No" to Violence against women. Names are powerful, and the more names we collect, the stronger our case to make ending violence against women a top priority. Please invite your friends to add their names to ours, too. Together, we can help put a stop to this pervasive human rights violation. Nicole Kidman, UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador.

Eating Disorders

The Children's Hospital
13123 East 16th Avenue
Aurora, CO 80045
(720) 777-1234

Mirasol for Women and Teens
Information: 888.520.1700 (toll-free)
Business Office: 520.546.3200
E-mail: jrust@mirasol.net Fax 520.546.3205
Mail: 7650 E. Broadway, Suite 303 Tucson, AZ 85710-3773

Remuda Ranch: There are two locations: Wickenburg, Arizona and Bowling Green, Virginia. These are inpatient treatment centers for women and girls suffering from eating disorders. 1-800-445-1900
E-MAIL: info@remudaranch.com
www.remuda-ranch.com

Geisinger Health System: Health information site is provided to promote healthy living in the communities we serve. Alternative Health, Food and Nutrition, Recipes, Diet Center, Disease Management , Health Myths Center, Healthcare Center, Kids' and Teens' Health, Travel and Health, women’s health. http://www.geisinger.org

Pregnancy / Rape

Your Loving Choices
Market Street, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

From teens through adults, this agency helps anyone who finds herself pregnant. Their services range from parenting classes, counseling, support groups, coaches, etc. If you are interested in adoption they can help you but the majority of clients keep their children. They have a voucher system to help you earn dollars for clothing, cribs etc.
www.yourlovingchoices.org

Wellness

Central Penn Women’s Health Care, Pc.
111 Medical Park Drive Lewisburg, Pennsylvania 17837 (570) 524-1120

Geisinger Health System health information site is provided to promote healthy living in the communities we serve. Alternative Health, Food and Nutrition, Recipes, Diet Center, Disease Management , Health Myths Center, Healthcare Center, Kids' and Teens' Health, Travel and Health, women’s health. http://www.geisinger.org

Donate old cell phones and other wireless devices to save a life The Body Shop in conjunction with the National Coalition against Domestic Violence.

Check out this website for prepaid label.
http://www.ncadv.org/files/BodyShop-NCADVPre-paidLabel.pdf

Women’s Centers

Bloomsburg Women’s Center
111 Market Street, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
24 Hour Hotline: (800) 5444-8293 or (570) 784-6631 www.thewomenscenterinc.org/domestic.htm

Centre County Women's Resource Center Inc.
140 West Nittany Avenue, State College, PA 16801
Business #: 814-238-7066
Hotline/Crisis: 814-234-5050

Clinton County Women's Center
151 Susquehanna Ave., Lock Haven, PA 17745
Business #: 717-748-9539
Hotline/Crisis: 717-748-9509

Harrisburg Victims Intervention Program
P.O. Box 986, Honesdale, PA 18431
Business #: 717-253-4431
Hotline/Crisis: 717-253-4401
Toll Free: (800)698-4VIP

Huntington House
P.O. Box 217, Huntington, PA 16652
Business #: 814-643-2801
Hotline/Crisis: 814-643-1190

Mifflin County Abuse Network
P.O. Box 268, Lewistown, PA 17044
Business #: 717-242-0715
Hotline/Crisis: 717-242-2444

Schuylkill Women in Crisis
P.O. Box 96, Pottsville, PA 1790
Email: swicagency@comcast.net
Hotline/Crisis: 717-622-6220
Toll Free: (800) 282-0634

Susquehanna Valley Women in Transition
P.O. Box 170, Lewisburg, PA 17837
Hotline/Crisis: 717-523-6482

Still in my dreams
By Lori Gallimore, IL

I woke up this morning feeling like a big weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I normally don’t allow myself to think about the past and the resultant effects it’s had on me. But, I guess sometimes I have to let these feeling come to the surface, so that I can mourn for the little girl that was me, and the mess I’d made of my life until I learned to let it go. I can’t let the past dictate my daily life.

To do that would mean that he won. I don’t think of what happened to me-hardly ever in my waking days. I guess repressing it caused an overload and it took recourse coming out in my dreams. Believe me, a couple of nights in a row of that same horrific venue, and you’d be depressed too. It’s not always that anything bad happens, just that I awaken to realize that I’ve dreamt of that situation again and that for some reason I had to see him, again. It’s hard to explain, exactly, but it’s just devastating. My sister has a dream that we’re all rolling around in this grassy meadow as a family and from a distance; it looks as if my stepfather is just tickling us. In reality, he’s touching us.

My mother is looking down on us from the top of a hill, smiling benignly, oblivious. How creepy is that to have haunting you? Fortunately, I only go through that once every few years. Maybe I have to unload periodically in order to keep going. It’s been hard and lonely. I see that people have viewed this torture I was going through, yet I am alone in that no one could offer even a word of comfort.

So, I say again, that I am alone in this, as I have been from the beginning, when I had to keep the “secret.” Again I kept silent, when I realized how ashamed I was that it happened, had been happening since I was a very little girl. I never wanted anyone to know. When I finally did tell, when I was thirteen, no one did a thing to help me. I was abandoned. So I ran away from home. It was preferable to me to live in the woods than to be in that house another day.

Unfortunately, I was found in those woods, and raped repeatedly by the boys and men from the neighborhood surrounding the area I was at. And, do you know, at least it wasn’t my “father.” Isn’t that a terrible thing to take comfort in? Eventually, I was found by the police and taken to a detention center. The rumors were that I was out prostituting myself for places to stay and my whole family believed it.

Once again, I had no mother to tell what had happened, to comfort me or ask me if I was okay. At my stepfather’s urging, I was labeled “incorrigible” and placed into a reform school for girls. To the counselors, and probation worker, I tried to explain what my life was like at home without specifically saying anything, but my stepfather had them believing I was a pathological liar. I had one person tell me that to my face. What had I done wrong? Is this what we do with all the things in society that make us uncomfortable? We just sweep them under the rug?

Are the people it affects to be ignored? Maybe then, it won’t come into our rosy little lives and disturb our hearts? Well, that’s a shame. I understand that no one wants to hear things that constantly depresses them. Things are getting more and more heinous by the hour in this world. If we paid adequate attention, and gave proper emotional attachment to everything on the news, we’d all need to be medicated. Maybe that’s why so many people drink and do drugs? What about the lone individual? What about the one person out there asking for an anonymous word from someone—anyone?

A Survivor Tells Her Story
Reprinted with permission from Women’s Rural Advocacy Program

I live in the county of Jackson in rural Minnesota. I am a graduate of the University of Minnesota, and I currently hold a managerial position at my place of work. I also was a victim of domestic violence. Now I consider myself a survivor. My ex-husband abused me verbally, emotionally, mentally, and physically. I have now been divorced for a year and a half. I believe that if I had not broken away when I did, that I would probably be dead by this time. What I share here is what I know from my personal experience. This is my story.

In my junior year of college, I started dating the man I would marry, the man who would be my abuser. We dated for three years. The year before we were married, we spent almost every evening together. When we were dating, he was very good to me. He was attentive and caring. He was my knight in shining armor. He was, literally, too good to be true. At one point, after we were married and the abuse had begun, I asked him, "Why didn't you let me know what you really are?" His reply, "Fooled Ya!" My married years were not a dream come true. In fact, I found myself living a nightmare. The man I loved, the man who vowed to love and honor me, spit, literally, on my face, hit me with a one-ton truck, threatened to murder me, threatened to mutilate me, yelled obscenities in my face, and mentally tortured me... yet many powerful dynamics bound me to the relationship.
1. He denied what was happening. So did I. I did not want to believe it.
2. It was humiliating to face the failure of my marriage.
3. He minimized the abuse, convincing me that I was making a big deal out of nothing, and that it wasn't that bad.
4. He whittled away at my self-esteem, making me feel that I deserved what I got.
5. He told me that I pushed him to do it. He blamed me, targeting things that were true, partially true, or believable. This made it very difficult not to grab onto those hooks. We made many "deals"--if I did this or that, then he wouldn't hurt me. He never stopped.
6. He played games with my mind by manipulating, twisting the truth, contradicting himself and lying. This resulted in my feeling unstable and crazy. Then it was easier for him to control me.
7. Fear of the unknown was greater than the fear of what I knew. If I left, my chances of getting killed increased. Leaving is the most dangerous time for a victim.
8. It was virtually impossible for me to make a stand because he was always a step ahead of me. He said to me, "You have to accept me the way I am or I'll divorce you." This took away my power to say, "Stop, or I'm leaving".
9. I did not want to accept the abuse or leave; I simply wanted the abuse to stop.
10. Religious reasons kept me there. I had vowed my life to this man.
11. He was not always abusive. He could be intensely cruel, and he could be intensely wonderful.
12. I had fallen in love with that wonderful man, not the man who abused me.
13. Time and time again, he apologized and promised that it would never happen again.
14. Time and time again, I would hope that maybe this time would be different.

Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde would come and go. I rode the abusive cycle around and around and around with my abuser. Time periods between abusive explosions usually ranged from two weeks to two days. The craziest episode was when he oscillated back and forth several times within a few hours. The morning following that episode, I made my first call for help. I had broken the silence and the secrecy. My abuser was angrier than ever. Because the physical abuse is more evident and harder to hide, he put a cap on that tactic. The verbal, emotional, and mental abuse intensified. From my experience, I will never minimize these forms of abuse. The wounds are deep, and the bruises are hard to heal. It's subtle and twisted, making it very difficult to explain or prove.

I believe that a victim's level of fear is the most accurate barometer of the intensity of the abuse. I remember one night vividly, when my abuser was strangely restless. I did not dare sleep with my back to him. I feared that at any moment, he could snap and kill me. The next morning after he stormed out of the house. I quickly packed my bags and left. At that time, I did not know that I would never go back. I got help. He also got help. He received therapy, and later admitted to conning his therapist. He also volunteered for a batterer's program.

It was a six-month commitment, weekly sessions, a two hundred mile round trip. He did not miss a session, and completed all of his homework.
The only change that I saw in him was that his abusive tactics got trickier. It was as if he had attended a graduate school and earned his masters degree in abuse. I believe that this was his way to regain control. He sent a very strong message to me and to the community. His message was "He is working so hard and the witch still won't take him back". Once again, I was to blame. The cycle of abuse, the pain and the promises continued.

There was one time period of two months when there was no abuse. My trust and hope grew one more time. Then it happened again. This time I was especially devastated because I knew that it was over. I could no longer endure the ups and downs. I let go of all hope for our marriage. I chose to divorce.

During the divorce and even after the divorce was final, he continued with his tactics. He would call me, tell me how much he loved and missed me, and in his next breath be verbally abusive. I did not want to engage with him any more. I was learning to step out of the cycle. I learned that I needed to do whatever was necessary to protect myself from this man. As difficult as it was for me, I started to hang up when he'd call. It got easier each time I did it. Eventually, he left me alone and moved out of the area. Since then, I have learned that he had been unfaithful during our marriage that he has become involved in pornography, and that he is leaving a trail of victims. As for me, once I had no contact with him my healing came much quicker. However, because he convinced me that what happened was my fault, I had to be told hundreds of times that it was not.

Now, I know that it was not my fault. I came to a simple understanding, a bottom line: Abuse is unacceptable. It does not matter who started the fight, what the fight is about, or who has what imperfections. There is no justification. Abuse is unacceptable. This simple understanding of mine stopped my ex-husband in his tracks. He had nowhere to go with me. No more did his hooks and tricks work with me. No More.

People often ask about women who are battered, "Why doesn't she just leave?" This is a natural question, but perhaps it would be wiser and more insightful to ask. "Why does he abuse?" An abusive relationship is a lethal web of confusion, fear, promises, and hope. The complicated and dangerous process of getting out entails many challenges that people who have never been battered may not consider. Breaking away from my abusive husband was more difficult than it was for me to stay. However, I did meet the challenges and work through them.

Divorce is a serious decision. When I wavered with this decision, I reminded myself of reality. For me, reality included broken promises and unbearable pain inflicted by my partner. To help me with my decision, I weighed the risks. If I'd divorce, it's possible that I'd remain single. It's also possible that I would have another abusive relationship. (I do believe that this possibility decreases as awareness increases, but there are no guarantees.) If I stayed with this man, there was a very high probability that I would be abused again. This was close to a guarantee. To help soften the finality of divorce, I placed the option of remarriage to him in the back of my mind. That option has since been dismissed! The abuse was much more painful than the divorce.

Loneliness was a painful challenge. At times during the divorce, it was very difficult not to grab onto promises from my husband that everything would be better if came back. I chose to be alone and safe rather than married and abused. In retrospect, my loneliest times were when I was married to an abusive man. I've lost that man as my husband, but I've gained safety, peace, self-esteem, self-respect, health, the return of my personality, and I have my life.

Some people minimize the abuse that occurs and this can bring about doubts in those of us who experience the abuse. It's extremely important to remember that no one knows the situation as well as the victim. It's been helpful for me to gain an understanding that my abusive partner was not out of control, but chose to abuse. In fact, it was during his acts of abuse that he had the most power and control. The crazy making is another difficult issue to overcome. The victim is not crazy. The situation is crazy. Abuse is not logical. I believe that it's a good thing when we are not able to figure it out and think in the twisted way that our perpetrators do. Learning to set boundaries again can be a difficult task, especially after all boundaries have been consistently violated. It's helpful to set realistic boundaries that you can keep. It's okay to start small. Setting boundaries gets easier with practice.

Religious conflicts often keep women from leaving an abusive relationship. I had vowed my life to this man. I believe that God does not want us to be harmed. Abuse is not intended to be a part of the institution of marriage. "Is a woman who divorces her abusive husband breaking the vows?" The vows were broken long before the divorce by her abusive husband. God speaks of infidelity, physical abuse, and hardness of heart as allowable situations for divorce. If viewed as a sin even under these circumstances, divorce is forgivable, like all other sins.

The issue of love was a difficult one for me. Was my partner's love for me ever sincere? Or was it all a con? It was probably a mixture. I came to peace with the belief that my partner would love me for the moment, in the only way he knew (which was not a healthy love.) Some people told me that he never loved me.

Saying this to a woman who is already overloaded with pain is not helpful, but only hurtful. I did what I could to surround myself with positive support people. For me, this included support groups, advocates, a therapist, minister, family, and friends. Support group for victims of domestic abuse was most beneficial for me. It is very comforting and helpful to share with women who have similar experience. Therapies can also he helpful. As difficult as it is to discern when we're vulnerable, it's important to remember that each of us has a right to choose a therapist that we're comfortable with. I believe that it's important that our personalities and philosophies are compatible, and that the therapist has a keen understanding of the dynamics of domestic abuse. I would not recommend that a victim walk into a therapist's office with her abusive partner.

The perpetrator has a sly way of making the victim look crazy. Also, in a situation like this, the victim will probably feel inhibited to be open and honest due to fear and probable repercussions inflicted by the perpetrator after the session. A good therapist will guide you to clarity, so that you can use good judgment in making your decisions. Time is an important healer. Besides surrounding myself with positive people, I got involved with positive activities. Try to balance this with quiet time, to grieve and to cry. I did a lot of sorting and purging through journaling and talking with people I trust. It's important to take time to process our experience and to heal. It's also important for others to respect us by allowing each of us to process our experience, make the decisions, and set the pace.

Making the victim feel guilty or stupid for her decisions, thoughts, and feelings most likely will add to her shame, prolong the process of getting out, and isolate her from those who inflict this judgment. Finally, have faith. My faith in God was my anchor in this fierce storm.

I've learned that as hard as it is to stay in an abusive relationship, it's even harder to get out. I use an analogy of swimming upstream against a strong river current. I've also learned that if you don't get out, you may die in the plunging waterfall downstream. Our dreams may be broken, but at least we will be alive to make new ones.

Anexoria
by Debra Cooper from Remuda Ranch

In the United States, eating disorders are far more than prevalent – they’re epidemic. Today, 10 million women and girls have eating disorders and up to one million of them will die from the disorder. That’s right: die.

Anorexia is not a diet, it’s a disease, an extremely complex and dangerous disease. It is psychiatric in nature, not unlike depression or anxiety. Very simply defined, anorexia is self starvation. Those with this disorder literally starve themselves to a state of severe emaciation, at least 15% below what would be considered a normal body weight.

Perhaps the most frequently asked question is: Why? Why would a woman intentionally starve herself, even to the point of death? Unfortunately, the answer is as diverse as the women who get this disease. Anorexia is rarely the result of one factor, but many factors working together. Most experts believe the American media play a huge role in the creation of this disorder by consistently reflecting our society’s obsession with thinness. Just take a moment to look around – television shows and commercials showcase beautiful, usually very thin, women, while fashion magazines display stunning, often emaciated, models.

Not only is “skinny” everywhere, but this thinness is equated with beauty, peer acceptance, sexual fulfillment, financial success, self-esteem, morality, and good health. The message is if you can just lose enough weight, somehow all these other desirable attributes will come along as part of the package.

Certainly, the media is not the exclusive source of blame; the cultural pressures to obtain and maintain “ideal” bodies are everywhere. In addition, whereas skinny is glorified, fat is considered by many in America to be a four-letter word.

A survey indicated that more than 50% of females aged 18-25 would rather be run over by a truck than be fat. Another 2/3 would rather be mean or stupid than fat. For many years, anorexia seemed to be the exclusive province of the wealthy or famous who lived in the public eye; or it was confined to achievement-oriented adolescent girls from affluent families. Not anymore. Today, anorexia is an equal-opportunity disorder that crosses all racial, ethnic, cultural and religious lines. In other words, no one is immune. Although the average age of onset is 13, anorexia occurs throughout the lifespan, meaning it is diagnosed in women of all ages.

For young women embarking on a career, the stressors of living in the “real world” can trigger an eating disorder. But one area that is proving very problematic these days is post-pregnancy. By definition, a new mother has a high level of stress and the inevitable baby weight. Now, let’s consider what the media is telling her. On popular TV talk shows, she sees segments about “mommy make-overs,” which suggest that women should be back to their pre-baby size, or smaller, seemingly within hours of delivery. Then, at the grocery check-out counter, she is confronted by magazine articles about actresses who are brand-new mothers just like her. There they are with the infant – and they look amazing. Each of these glamorous stars has shed that annoying baby weight, apparently without much effort and in record time. Just as an adolescent looks at rail-thin models, then finds herself lacking, this new mom looks at celebrity moms, then becomes highly critical of herself, thinking she should also look that way. Of course, what this young mom fails to factor in is that celebrities, with nannies, personal chefs, weight and exercise trainers, and all the help that money can buy, are not like her in the least. Yet, with unrealistic goals in mind, our new mother embarks on a strict regimen of dieting and exercise, which can easily become an addiction to one or both.

The most obvious warning signs of anorexia center on food and appearance. Usually, a woman will experience an extreme and rapid weight loss. She will eat little, yet profess that she is never hungry. She will exhibit an intense fear of being overweight and will be preoccupied with dieting and thinness and will probably weigh herself frequently. Other observable signs are thinning hair, dry skin, bluish fingers, facial gauntness, and an unusual growth of fine hair on her body.

Amenorrhea –loss of menstrual period—is another significant warning sign.

What do you do if anorexia is suspected in a friend or family member? Although many articles have been dedicated to this topic, here’s the short answer: talk.

Tell her of your concern for her health and her life. Do this in love, without judgment or criticism. Encourage her to get professional help, because that is what most people need. As with any addiction, treatment is usually required to overcome the behavior. She can start with outpatient counseling, preferably with someone who has experience in treating eating disorders. With a good therapist and strong family support, the majority of women can achieve true and lasting recovery. However, for some women, outpatient therapy is not enough. For them, inpatient treatment is recommended. Since 1990, Remuda Programs for Eating Disorders has treated nearly 8,000 women and girls. Remuda offers programs in Arizona and Virginia and has an unparalleled recovery rate of 95% over one, five and ten years.

If you know a woman who may have anorexia, or if you would like additional information about eating disorders, please call Remuda Ranch at
1-800-445-1900 today.

Vagina Monologues
By Mary Anne Mackey-Wisor

“Welcome to the wetlands of New Orleans the vagina of America. And if you want to know how some folks feel about vaginas just look at New Orleans since the storm. We are nourished and sustained by her generous wet fertility but don’t hesitate to rape her, defile her, assault her, shave and mutilate the marsh grasses and trees which protect her. We call her sultry and sexy when we crave her, but after when we want to demean her and dismiss her we call her swampy and soiled. We brag about her music, the way she moves, we beg to get inside her, but shown her later when she has needs. We use her to entertain us and excuse us, and then jealous of her power and embarrassed by our awe, we make her a whore. We take holidays and get lost and happy in her embrace, we eat her, we love the fishy taste, we love her spices. But when she is hurting, when she is waving for help, we ignore her and let her drown. New Orleans is the vagina of America if we honor her, if we heal her, if we praise her; we change history and the story of women.” Eve Ensler writer of the vagina monologues

Thus started the vagina monologues presented by students from Bloomsburg University on March 1st, 2008. On sale at the door were pins bearing the same emblem as shown above or various other sayings like the vagina warriors, chocolate covered condoms, and chocolate vagina lollipops. It was a little embarrassing especially seeing a few gentlemen in the audience but then comforting to know that men were brave enough to be men. The proceeds were split between Columbia Montour Home Health, Beyond Violence in Berwick as well as Columbia Montour Women’s Shelter.

An invitation was extended directly from Eve to all the supported that had attended tonight’s performance to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the vagina monologues. On April 10th thru the 12th, 2008 the vagina warriors will be celebrating in New Orleans where they will change the history of women and girls against years of domestic violence once and for all. Eve is requesting that you come and celebrate your town and soul from all over the world where we will plant marsh grass, dance in the streets, turn the super-dome into super love, hear stories, honor the earth and women’s bodies, fight for racial justice, demand equitable housing and healthcare, support men in being vulnerable,
eat great food, and conjure revolution.


Karen Anselm advises the Young women from Bloomsburg University. Kymmie Dennis and Diana Santos organized the event. The stage was set with various forms of seating all draped in red. The girls did a splendid performance with some difficult material some of which included Outrageous Vagina Fact, The Little Coohie Snorcher That Could, The Flood, Because He looked at it and ending with I was There in the Room which talked about Eve watching as her grandchild was born.

Eve has traveled all over the world interviewing women and putting on the vagina monologues. IN the beginning she did all the parts by herself but it has evolved over the years by many women making a stand and presenting her work. Jane Fonda has joined her and does many performances. HBO a television version featuring Ensler was produced by cable TV. In 1998, Ensler launched V-Day, a global non profit that has raised over $50 million dollars for local anti-violence groups through benefits of The Vagina Monologues.

“Every monologue somehow relates to the vagina, be it through sex, love, rape, menstruation, mutilation, masturbation, birth, orgasm, the variety of names for the vagina, or simply as a physical aspect of the female body. A recurring theme throughout the piece is the vagina as a tool of female empowerment, and the ultimate embodiment of individuality.” Wikipedia. The play started simply enough by Eve speaking with her friends about rape, violence, mutilation, sex and how they all related to the vagina. She speaks about women of Bosnia who have been violated and mutilated and other societies that have the clitoris removed from their women.

Her movement has brought great insight into the life of those who have felt domestic violence in their lives raising millions of dollars for women’s centers and domestic violence groups. But along with the acclaim has come criticism.

Camille Paglia an American social critic, author and teacher. She is a professor of humanities and media studies at the University of Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She feels that the monologues has tuned Valetine’s Day (V-Day) from a very romantic holiday into a grisly reminder of rape and incest. Betty Dodson, Ph.D. a feminist an American sex educator, author, and artist. She is widely known as a pioneer in women's sexual liberation. She feels the play is biased against males and has a very restrictive view of female sexuality.

At Bucknell University this year an elderly women entered where the play was being advertised at the University and tore down everything she felt was offensive.

It definitely touches a nerve which I feel is good. The Vagina monologues is getting its message across to millions of women to take control of their lives. I felt the girls did an excellent job of getting their point across not only about the violence but also of the love that can be found when a woman is treated properly.

I encourage men and women to take a chance and go a reading to support V-Day until the violence stops. This is what The One Arts and Entertainment Magazine is all about. We are trying to get the word out through education, workshops, materials through out the Susquehanna valley. The Sharon Fisher Basset Memorial Fund is dedicated to raising community awareness concerning domestic violence, sexual abuse, sexual assault and their connection to eating disorders. This awareness can be achieved through educating individuals, families, schools, universities, civic organizations and communities on local, regional and national levels. By promoting, organizing and financially supporting forums, lectures, workshops and other community programs we believe that a deeper consciousness can be gained on all levels, attitudes can be enlightened, healthier choices can be made and lives can be changed.

Please help us by making your donation today until the violence stops.