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Violence Monologues


Originally published in:
New York Daily News
10/09/2001

As a survivor of violent attacks, playwright Eve Ensler has some advice on how to work through the emotions Americans may be feeling.

"The Vagina Monologues" creator, who says her father abused her as a child, says, "It's an interesting and daunting experience to talk about anti-violence in the middle of so much grief, sorrow and rage.

"In response to the violence that was done to me, I went through all different stages -- I acted out, I was mean to people, I became an alcoholic," Ensler said this week at a fund-raiser held by the nonprofit organization Safe Horizon. "It hurt people and I didn't get better.

"People need to talk, share ideas," she said. "We are at a huge turning point in civilization and we need to honor it. I think we all know that's in front of us right now. It's going to require every bit of our best feelings and our best thinking."