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Firstly, I apologise for the title, and trust me I’m no Boyz 2 Men fan, the reason for this title will become apparent in the video at the end of the post.
However, I make no apologies whatsoever for pushing this cause.
Over the last couple of months we have been hearing a lot about abuse, and misogyny, and despite these being ugly subjects, I think it is good to bring these subjects to light. It is only by acknowledging and then working together that we can have any serious impact on reducing the statistics of these heinous acts.
Coming up on the 25th November is White Ribbon Day.
White Ribbon Day is a day that we campaign to end the violence towards women, and I hope all who read this will support the cause, both women, and particularly the men.
Please take the time to check out the White Ribbon Day website, and also you can click “Like” on the White Ribbon Day Facebook page, you can even follow them on Twitter here.
This is a day that there should not be any debate about, it should have bi-partisan support. Whether you are married or single, gay or straight, one thing we all have in common, no matter what your background, as we all have a mother.
I’m not going to try and tell you how White Ribbon Day came to be, or to tell you its significance, I will leave that to someone far more qualified than I.
Below is the Hansard Transcipt of a speech made by NSW Labor MP and MLC, The Honorable Peter Primrose on November 13th.
Peter is a member of my local Labor branch, a tireless worker for many causes, a strong voice for a State that needs one, I’m proud to say a mate, and he is also an Ambassador for White Ribbon Day.
On the afternoon of 6 December 1989 a young man walked into a university in Montreal, Canada, armed with a semiautomatic rifle and a hunting knife. He entered a classroom, separated the male and female students, stated that he was “fighting feminism” and opened fire. Six women were killed in that classroom and a total of 14 women were murdered by him that day. His actions traumatised a nation and highlighted the issue of violence against women around the world. In 1991 a handful of men in Toronto launched Canada’s White Ribbon campaign, an annual violence against women awareness raising event held between 25 November and 6 December—the anniversary of that Montreal massacre. Eight years later, in 1999, the United Nations General Assembly declared 25 November the “international day for the elimination of violence against women” with the now iconic white ribbon as its symbol. White Ribbon Day began in Australia in 2003 as part of UN Women and formally became a foundation in 2007.
It is now Australia’s only national male-led campaign to prevent violence against women. White Ribbon believes in the goodness of most men. It believes that good men reject violence against women and are willing to act to prevent it. White Ribbon believes in the capacity of the individual to change and to encourage others to change. The campaign is focused on primary prevention. In other words, it works to change our culture to stop the violence before it occurs with activities in schools, workplaces and the broader community.
The 1993 United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women defines “violence against women” as:
“Any act of gender-based violence that results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.”
Violence does not refer just to physical acts; it refers also to non-physical acts including emotional, verbal and financial abuse, sexual discrimination and forced isolation. Every year White Ribbon runs an awareness campaign about the issue of violence against women and the role men can play in preventing such violence. In 2012 White Ribbon encourages men to stand up to violence against women with the knowledge that thousands of good men have resolved to do the same. White Ribbon’s new campaign highlights that men can challenge their mates and others in a way that does not endanger their own safety, knowing that there are many good men who support their actions. The chain starts with good men standing up and letting the perpetrators know that violent attitudes and behaviour towards women are never acceptable in any circumstances.
Violence against women is a grave problem. One Australian woman is killed every week by a current or former partner. One in three women over the age of 15 report physical or sexual violence at some time in their lives. One in four young people have witnessed violence against their mother or stepmother. Two-thirds of women who experience domestic or family violence are in paid work. Domestic and family violence is the major cause of homelessness for Australian women and children. According to KPMG, violence against women and children cost the Australian economy $13.6 billion in 2009 and if no action is taken to prevent it that sum will increase to $15.6 billion per year in 2021.
I am proud to be one of the many White Ribbon ambassadors. The violence perpetrated by men against women must stop and it is up to men to stop it.
I know I’m probably preaching to the converted, but I hope you all support this cause.
Please share it, post it, tweet it or whatever, just spread the message around.
Thanks
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I don’t know if this will get to you, and i am having endless problems with logging into wordpress, but i really want you to know how much i appreciate the things you say and do to support women. Obviously, i have some very personal reasons for my gratitude, but just as it took men to recognise the natural justice of ‘giving’ women the vote or ‘allowing’ them to work and own property etc, it is men who are needed to ensure men stop abusing women. The destruction caused by domestic violence spreads so much further than an individual woman’s body, and is self perpetuating. One of the most heart warming things for me in the appalling death of Jill Marr was the spontaneous procession down Brunswick St, and the mix of people and the number of men present. Thankyou 🙂
Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:45:33 +0000 To: sal_biz@hotmail.com
Persistence clearly pays off clearly Sal. I got your response
Thank you so much for your kind words, a try to do my small part .
I am hoping that we are on the verge of a shift away from selfish ideals, and the concept that others are just there to serve our own needs. Women in particular have suffered from this for far to long, but the tide is turning
Thanks again for your support Sal 🙂
Just wanted to say thank you for not only supporting white ribbon day but taking time to encourage others to follow suit. I’m one of those statistics and it means a lot to see the many decent men take a stand. There is a long way to go here in Australia. My experience was that many police seemed either frustrated or disinterested when it came to dealing with domestic violence (there were a couple of shining exceptions). I have seen things in the court system that make a mockery of those nice shiny brochures saying that DV is not OK.
One thing that is notable, when a domestic violence order is made, even after a full court hearing, the perpetrator does not get a criminal record. Only if they a, breach the order, b, get caught and c, have it proven in court do they get a record. It kinda says, if you feel like having a go at a woman, make sure its one you are involved with, you’re unlikely to get an assault record that way.
The more men who are willing to speak up, the better the message will get across. Cheers to everyone signing the pledge and adding to the growing voice.
Thanks Daisy,
I’m glad you came out of the ordeal OK, and thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement.
It is a real shame at how backwards the system actually is for the victims, and I hope someone with guts will one day be in a position to make it easier.
Unfortunately, as many cops will tell you, the majoritry of callouts they get are for domestic situations, many of them violent, but most of them not, which probably leads to the attitude you faced.
I do hope more men get behind the movement and cause, and hopefully that voice turns into a chorus.
A great stance that all of the World must support. But we have to solve the problems in our own particular part of the World first. If anybody in society wants a role model for young males I would guide you to Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox. A man with honour and courage as the mainstays of his moral compass. Those that perpetrate violence against women are a scourge on Australian society just as the same applies to the Pedophile Priest. Off topic abit but they are in the same lower than low class in my book.
Thank you Peter for your stance and the article
I Swear
Thank you so much Wixxy for promoting the need to prevent the mistreatment of women at each opportunity that is appropriate. I have suffered rape twice. The first time I was a teenager and confused as to whether what even happened to me was rape as I was so naive to the concept and did not even consider reporting it. The second time it happened was traumatic as hell involving kidnapping and deprevation of liberty and unmentionable acts. I live in Brunswick and after the Jill M. incident I actually realised how lucky I was to be left alive.
I went straight to a friends house after the second incident occurred. I’ll never forget my friend saying “we can’t let this happen to us anymore – there’s been to many of us raped”. That convinced me to go to the police and hospital and go over the terrible experience with an officer. Luckily she was a woman and the most professional and compassionate cop I’ve met.
The worst thing was the trial did not come up for over a year. Having to go to court, drag up all the memories blow by blow and have your rapist standing in the dock opposite you while you give evidence is traumatic. Being cross examined by heartless defense lawyers is lewd and humiliating. Luckily I was victorious and unlike everyone who says these men get off with light sentences he was given ten years. I heard later he was given a lot of “prison justice” from those in the know.
I encourage all women who have experienced rape to get support from a friend, to go straight to the police and ask to speak to a woman if necessary. Make sure you go to the hospital for the collection of evidence and all injuries are photographed. Before going to court memorise your statement so you don’t get tripped up “getting your facts wrong”. The more women who do this the more scum we will get off the street! The more men realise they will be reported (they estimate most go unreported) the more wary men will be about doing this.