Two New Ambassadors wave the White Ribbon
9 November 2011 Media Release
Two New Ambassadors wave the White Ribbon against Family Violence.
Former Mayor Peter Tennent and community minded man, Kallum Jury-Field have taken their stand against violence towards women to the next level.
Nominated by the Taranaki Safe Families Trust they will stand shoulder to shoulder with other high profile men from around New Zealand to help provide positive actions to reduce violence in our communities, by becoming White ribbon ambassadors.
The White Ribbon Day campaign raises
awareness of men’s violence against women, which in New
Zealand is generally directed at wives, girlfriends and
other intimate partners. White Ribbon Ambassadors encourage
men to get involved by helping to challenge and change
men’s abusive behaviour and attitudes towards
women.
“It is vital that men accept responsibility for
helping to change the abusive behaviour of men so that women
can live free from violence and fear,’’ says Taranaki
Safe Families Coordinator Marion James. “To do this, men
must lead the White Ribbon campaign, and be seen to lead it,
as well as actively support it. They are the solution.”
To build leadership, the New Zealand campaign is encouraging the nomination of suitable men as candidates for an Ambassador role. White Ribbon Ambassadors are chosen for their passion and commitment to ending violence towards women and use their public profile to champion a violence-free lifestyle to other men.
Ambassadors are
identified at both a national and a local level and
nominations from several sectors of influence and are
approved by the Families Commission national campaign
committee.
“Men who are respected, influential role
models in their communities, workplace, business,
government, faith, cultural group, sporting group, union and
so on are all potential Ambassadors,” says Mrs
James.
Peter Tennent has worked with the Taranaki Safe Families in the past in partnership with the New Plymouth District Council, and was one of the faces of the high profile media campaign in 2010.
Kallum Jury-Field is a Big Brother Big Sister mentor and actively involved in the Taranaki community.
“They have both signed a statement
that they are living violence-free lives and uphold the
White Ribbon pledge not to commit, condone or remain silent
about violence against women.”
In this country most
violence by men against women takes place in the home, with
an average of 14 women a year killed by their partners or
ex-partners. Each year there are over 3500 convictions
recorded against men for assaults on women and one in five
women will experience sexual assault or sexual interference
at some point in their lives.
“We know that all men are
not violent; in fact, most are not,” says Mrs James.
However, in New Zealand:
• 92% of applicants for
Protection Orders are women.
• 84% of those apprehended
for family violence offences are men.
• Women
experience more injuries, sexual violence, separation
violence and fear than men.
• Women also have more
repeat offences against them than men.
• In most of the
severe and lethal cases of family violence, the perpetrators
are men and the victims are predominantly women and
children.
Peter and Kallum will lead the White Ribbon
March in New Plymouth at 12.30pm on Friday 25th November
from Gover St down Devon to Pukeariki Landing
This will
coincide with a march in Hawera from the TSB corner to the
Water Tower. We invite other men to join our new ambassadors
for the march and/or wear a white ribbon to show they do not
commit, condone or remain silent about violence towards
women.
Photo opportunity; White Ribbon March
New
Plymouth 12.30pm Friday 25th November
Hawera 12.15pm
Friday 25th November
Main activities during White Ribbon
Week
White Ribbon March New Plymouth 12.30pm Friday 25th
November
White Ribbon March Hawera 12.15pm Friday 25th
November
Breakfast at McDonalds with the White Ribbon
Bikers 7.30am on Wednesday 23rd November
Family Challenge
Day – Yarrows stadium Sunday 27th November 1-4pm
For
further information go to:
www.whiteribbon.org.nz
ENDS