A Valentine's Day to Remember

Act #45:  Rise.

She pulled up to her destination - curb side and was immediately greeted at the front counter.  She had called ahead of time so they were expecting her. She was seated in a private room, reserved just for her. Three different people came by to wait on her, to ask her story, listening intently. One offered her something to drink. 

 

Then someone came by and told her to take her clothes off and to change into a hospital gown.  She spent the next two hours undergoing a rape exam from a sexual assault nurse examiner. She then told her story a fourth time to an assigned investigator.

 

Last night while many of us were buying last minute Valentines and getting excited about our upcoming romantic dates, I was in my local ER with a 15-year old rape victim.  Needless to say, she won't be enjoying chocolates and candy and heart-shaped Hallmark cards.  Or the rest of her childhood.

 

Today is the 15th Anniversary of V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls.  One in three women will be raped and beaten in her lifetime.  One billion women violated. 

 

She spent 4 hours in the ER last night.  Do you have 3 minutes to watch this video?  This V-Day, 2013, rise to end violence against women and children, once and for all.  I rise because no 15-year old girl should spend Valentine's day in the ER.