Press Release

24 November 2013

White Ribbon Day – November 25

White Ribbon Day is the International Day for the elimination of violence against women and is recognised throughout the world.

‘I welcome the chorus of voices calling for an end to the violence that affects an estimated one in three women in her lifetime. I applaud leaders who are helping to enact and enforce laws and change mind-sets. And I pay tribute to all those heroes around the world who help victims to heal and to become agents of change.’ Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, United Nations.

‘This violence is an international issue and throughout history,’ says Judge Boshier, Chair of the White Ribbon Committee, ‘the world has rid our planet of many great evils from slavery and epidemics, to the denial of voting rights to our citizens. Now it is time to end the plague that is men’s violence towards women.

‘Too often we do not believe this problem is ours, however we all have mothers, grandmothers, partners, children, sisters, female friends and colleagues. While we might not be violent, can we say the same about the men that the women in our lives will come into contact with?

•           One in three women will experience partner violence at some point in their lives
•           Less than 20 percent of abuse cases are reported
•           Over 3,500 convictions are recorded against men each year for assaults on women
•           On average, 14 women a year are killed by their partners or ex-partners

‘Two of our White Ribbon Ambassadors have both lost daughters to violent men. Both deaths were avoidable tragedies. The same story can be heard throughout New Zealand – that the death of a wife, mother, daughter or friend was preventable. In so many examples, good men did nothing. They remained silent when they knew violence was occurring, they condoned behaviour that was unacceptable by such actions as smiling at the sexist joke or demeaning comments instead of saying, mate that’s not OK.

‘As men we have the ability to change the behaviour of other men. That is why I am asking all New Zealand men to take The Pledge on the White Ribbon website ‘to never commit, condone or remain silent about violence towards women’.

‘If we as men can take responsibility for the behaviour of other men, we can, and we will change the attitudes and behaviours of men,’ says Judge Boshier.

ENDS

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