Today marks GCNW’s beloved founder’s birthday! GCNova sends its warmest birthday wishes to Betty, with the hopes that she has had a blessed, beautiful day!

As for GCNova, we have taken a bit of a break since the spring semester’s successful Take Back the Night event. The final weeks of the semester were dominated by final exams and move-out. Two among us walked at the commencement ceremonies: congratulations to our 2010 graduates, GCNova Vice President Maren Miller and GCNova Villanova Outreach Chair Sarah Czar!

Summer 2010 will bring changes and plans for the future of GCNova, including a fall transition in leadership as we begin to look ahead to the coming years. Stay tuned!

Last week, GCNW founder and 2009 CNN Hero Betty Makoni visited Villanova University with Philadelphia activist Ben Escobar, of BE Associates. On Wednesday, April 7, she brought beauty, grace, and inspiration to our campus, and all who were lucky enough to be in attendance were incredibly moved. Our beloved Betty told her story, as well as the stories of her GCN girls, and we were blown away by her eloquence and genuine nature. For me, it was my second time being with Betty, and I was incredibly proud to introduce her to our GCNova team and Villanova’s students. Even more amazing, Betty was just as proud of us and what we have accomplished so far as a team here in Pennsylvania.

Still feeling the inspiration that Betty left us with last week, GCNova took further steps last night to break through the barrier of silence on college campuses.

Ten years ago, in Zimbabwe, an extraordinary woman began her life’s work for young women and children all around the world. Betty Makoni, founder of GCN Zimbabwe and GCNW, shared her incredible story with CNN and, in two days, will be sharing it with Villanova University. GCNova, the Center for Peace and Justice Education, and the Villanova Department of Communication is immensely proud to welcome Makoni — a recognized 2009 CNN Hero — to Villanova as she addresses child and sexual violence in Africa and abroad, what GCNW is doing to help, and how students can join the fight against human rights violations around the world.

Whatever your preconceived notions are about assault, “feminism,” or gender issues, put them aside for an hour on Wednesday, April 7, 2010 and come out to hear this amazing, beautiful woman.

This article sheds great light on the aftermath that rape victims often experience. Particularly on college campuses, rape is a hidden dark figure of crime which happens all-too-often, but is rarely addressed. The article discusses the flaws that exist within University disciplinary systems, the institutions’ inabilities to protect their students, and the self-interest Universities can have in attempts to sweep rapes quietly under the rug. Because acquaintance rape is a very real occurrence, this article helps to highlight what a victim must go through and how little understanding there actually is of this horrible act. CNN article

In our nation’s capital, D.C. officials are taking an unorthodox yet necessary step towards preventing the spread of HIV.  Here, the HIV infection rate is 6 times higher than the national average which demonstrates the urgency for a new approach in preventative measures.  D.C. officials will be handing out 500,000 female condoms in community centers and salons around the city and giving demonstrations on how to use the relatively unknown device.