A Taiwanese theater group composed of former abuse victims are to present their life stories on stage in Hong Kong this month to inspire girls who have had similar experiences, the Garden of Hope Foundation said at a press conference on Monday.
The foundation supervises the all-female group, called Girls, which consists of six members aged between 14 and 17 who suffered domestic violence, sexual abuse or childhood neglect. The show in Hong Kong will be the group’s debut performance abroad.
The group is to stage a 40-minute play comprising six monologues in which each member narrates their life story, said Yang Chin-hui, director of the Garden of Hope Foundation’s Kaohsiung Service Center.
Photo: Hsieh Wen-hua, Taipei Times
A video clip preview of the play was presented at the press conference.
In one of the monologues shown in the clip, the narrator asks why adults are so scary as she recounts how she and her sister were physically abused by their parents and brother. The other performers then gather around the narrator and speak for her.
“Acting helps the girls find their voices,” Yang said. “Many of them now feel more at ease with themselves and can express what they do and do not want.”
Moreover, the drama therapy helps the girls form close friendships and improve their interpersonal skills, Yang added.
“I was shy and afraid to speak up before, but now I have the courage to speak my mind,” said A-tsai, one of the members of the group.
The 15-year-old, who grew up in a single-parent family and was often neglected, said she hoped that she could inspire abuse victims in Hong Kong to pursue their dreams.
She said her dream is to become a hairdresser like her mother.
The troupe is to perform at Hong Kong’s Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women, Home Care for Girls and Caritas Pui Tak Centre from yesterday until Thursday.
Now in its fourth year, the Greater Kaohsiung-based group aims to encourage abuse victims to express themselves verbally and physically, to tell their stories through drama and to become good listeners, Yang said.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS