After interviewing 200 women about their views on sex, domestic violence and relationships, Eve Ensler had a lot of inspiration for her play. In 1996, “The Vagina Monologues” was an expression of feminine superiority among the sexual organs, but two years later the meaning changed and it became a movement to stop violence against women.

Ensler’s Obie Award-winning “The Vagina Monologues” features a varied number of monologues based on vaginal pride. They include stories of first menstrual periods, the injustice placed on the female sex organ (tampons, douches, etc.) and the story of a female dominatrix.

V-Day, which stands for “vagina,” “valentine” and “violence,” is held on Valentine’s Day and uses “The Vagina Monologues” to link respect for women to violence against females. By raising awareness, the V-Day organization demands the cessation of rape, incest, sexual slavery, genital mutilation and physical abuse.

Since 2001, the UNCW Women’s Studies and Resource Center has performed “The Vagina Monologues” in Kenan Auditorium. This year Susan Bullers, director of the Women’s Resource Center, is supervising the work of director Kristen Gulish and co-producers Nicolette Kostecki and Kindra Steenerson.

More than 20 people are involved with the play this year. The monologues include different performers, and each year at least two monologues change. Doing this is an attempt to make the play a unique and worthwhile experience every year.

The new monologues for this year are about “comfort women,” Japanese women who were sold into prostitution during World War II. The focus is on the struggle between these women, their families and the Japanese government to have the government apologize for the wrongs done to them.

With the title and subject of the play, many consider the show controversial, and some think the idea of holding V-Day on Valentine’s Day is outlandish.

“The message I hope the community takes home is that domestic violence and violence against women happens locally as well as abroad,” Gulish said. She said some monologues want to bring back the original meanings of such words as “vagina,” which she said “necessarily aren’t bad words.”

“Every person that had reservations about seeing the Vagina Monologues has come out fully entertained and with a new perspective about women and themselves,” Kostecki said in an e-mail interview. She added that seeing the changed perspectives are “the most fulfilling part of being in ‘The Vagina Monologues.'”

Camille Paglia, social critic, author and professor at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, is noted for criticizing the V-Day movement, saying that it is an attempt to change the meaning of the romantic holiday to one based on domestic violence.

“I actually can’t think of a better day to hold it just because there are so many positive aspects related to Valentine ‘s Day concerning love and relationships,” Gulish said.

A portion of the proceeds from the performance will go to Open Gate Domestic Violence Shelter and the Rape Crisis Center Coastal Horizons.

“It will go to these centers because of their action and dedication in Wilmington towards women in need of help,” Kostecki said in an e-mail interview. The remaining proceeds go to a nationwide campaign for “comfort women” and help fund the next year’s performance.

Along with the performance, the school showed “Until the Violence Stops,” a film that shows the grassroots movement of V-Day.

Tickets will be on sale through Kenan Auditorium. Tickets range from $6 for students, to $8 for faculty and alumni and $10 for the community. For more information on V-Day and the performance, visit www.v-day.org.