WHITE RIBBON PRESENTATION SCRIPT

Please note that this script does not need to be followed word for word but is intended to act as a guide. We encourage you to include your own examples.

SLIDE ONE

Thank you for inviting me to speak today. My name is XXX and I am a White Ribbon Advocate. Im here to discuss with you the issue of mens violence against women and the role of White Ribbon in preventing it.

Id like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet today, the people of the nation and pay my respects to Elders past and present.

White Ribbon was founded in Canada following an event in 1989 where a man entered an engineering University and after separating the male and female students, killed 14 women whom he believed were taking mens rightful jobs.

In response, a group of men decided that they needed to stand up and say as men that women should be safe and treated as equals. White Ribbon was then formed and is now in over 60 countries.

SLIDE TWO

White Ribbon believes that together, we can see a nation that respects women, where every woman lives in safety, free from mens violence and abuse.

Violence against women can often be thought of as purely physical however it can take many forms such as sexual, verbal, emotional, social, spiritual or financial. More often than not, two or more of these forms of abuse will occur at the same time and can often be quite hidden.

SLIDE THREE

White Ribbons purpose is to engage men to make womens safety a mans issue too. You may ask Why is White Ribbon focused on male engagement and mens violence?

SLIDE FOUR

White Ribbon engages men because they are central in achieving the social change we need to end violence. White Ribbon takes a zero tolerance approach to violence against anybody however specifically works to prevent violence perpetrated by men against women.

SLIDE FIVE

Womens safety is a mans issue too because:

95% of violent acts whether against men or women are perpetrated by men.

Men and women also tend to experience violence differently.

Men are more likely to experience violence from other men in public places.

Women are more likely to experience violence from men they know, often in the home.

SLIDE SIX

Violence against women in Australia is regarded as a national crisis. Here are a few reasons why we all need to play our part.

One woman is killed every week in Australia by a current or former partner.

One in three women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from someone they know. A useful illustration to bring this home is to identify three women or girls that are special to you. Name them in your mind. Now choose one. How would you feel if this person experienced physical or sexual violence? 1 in 3 women have and one woman is too many.

How many of you know women between the 15-44 age bracket? Intimate partner violence is the leading contributor to death, disability and illness for women in this age bracket.

These are serious issues. And they are happening across Australia.

How do we prevent violence against women?

SLIDE SEVEN

The information Ill share with you is primarily from Change the Story developed by Our Watch, Vic Health and ANROWS and White Ribbon Fact Sheets which can be downloaded from our website.

SLIDE EIGHT

In order to prevent mens violence against women, we need a whole of community approach. Typically, this is separated into three areas:

The tertiary response is activated once violence has occurred and aims to stop violence happening again. This can involve emergency accommodation, counselling and criminal justice responses to perpetrators.

Secondary intervention aims to avoid violence occurring by working with those at high risk of perpetrating or experiencing violence. This could be in the form of home visits from social workers for new mothers at risk of violence or behavioural change programs for men with anger management problems.

Primary Prevention aims to address the underlying cause of violence with whole of population initiatives and stop the likelihood of men using violence against women. Public health campaigns to address smoking, skin cancer and seatbelt use are examples of primary prevention initiatives that have seen real and lasting cultural change.

This is exactly where White Ribbon sits.

Now the next obvious question is: What is the underlying cause of violence against women?

SLIDE NINE

International research has reached a consensus that Gender Inequality is the core of the problem of violence against women and that gender equality is at the heart of the solution.

Gender inequality is a social condition that explicitly or implicitly gives men and women different value and an unequal distribution of power and opportunity. It is carried through generations by social structures and cultural norms. This inequality can be worsened for women who experience other forms of inequality at the same time such as discrimination because of race, age or disability.

SLIDE TEN

If gender inequality is at the core of the issue; how does it lead to violence against women? The following factors are identified social and cultural norms which drive violence against women.

Condoning or excusing violence against women this can include blaming the victim for doing something wrong or being partly deserving of the violence they experience. It can be excusing or minimising the violence because the perpetrator was unhappy, stressed, lonely or drunk. An anthropologist recently reflected that blaming the victim makes us feel safe. If we decide the victim was partly responsible, it makes us a feel a bit safer because perhaps we could avoid that same situation from occurring.

Mens control of decision making and placing limits on womens independence violence is more common in families and relationships in which men control decision making. This patriarchal family structure has been widely normalised to the point that 1 in 5 Australians think men should be the head of their household.

Adherence to rigid or stereotypical gender roles Research has shown that violence against women is consistently higher in societies where there are rigid male and female roles. Men who consider their relationship to be top-down are more likely to perpetrate violence against women. Men who use violence report a greater sense of ownership over their female partners, a sense of entitlement about their rights, and hold rigid ideas about acceptable female behaviour in relationships. Violence has been used to punish women who do not conform to expected gender roles.

Peer groups that allow aggression and disrespect of women peer groups provide important sources of support and often we can feel really understood among like-minded people. However a peer group can risk leading to group think or pack mentalities which can normalise unhealthy attitudes and behaviours and be very difficult to challenge. Male peer groups can sometimes reinforce stereotypical forms of masculinity or unhelpful attitudes towards women. White Ribbons Ambassador Program aims to equip men to challenge their peers respectfully to ensure gender equality and respect for women is the norm.

SLIDE ELEVEN

Other factors that reinforce violence and inequality include:

Condoning of violence in general violence can be condoned informally such as being downplayed by family or friends or formally through weak legislation and poor law enforcement. The popular phrase boys will be boys often dismisses otherwise inexcusable behaviour.

Experience of, and exposure to, violence exposure to domestic violence as a child or prolonged exposure to armed conflict can have profound and negative impacts. Early exposure to violence as a child, without intervention, can lead to boys and girls being at risk of perpetrating or experiencing violence as an adult.

Weakening of positive social behaviour, such as harmful use of alcohol any factor that erodes or weakens concern for others or consequences for ones actions can put others safety at risk. Although alcohol does not drive violence against women, it can heighten the frequency and severity of domestic violent incidents. The National Homicide Monitoring Program found that alcohol was involved in 47% of all homicide incidents in Australia over a six year period.[footnoteRef:1] [1: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi372.pdf]

Other forms of inequality or discrimination the probability of violence against women is higher when gender inequality is experienced alongside other forms of inequality such as race, disability, occupation or age. These compounded inequalities can further reduce a womans perceived worth in the community, her access to resources and social or economic independence.

SLIDE TWELVE

Now that we have an appreciation for the social and cultural norms that drive and reinforce violence against women how do we stop it?

Challenge condoning of violence against women challenge victim blaming and ask questions that encourage further reflection of the situation.

Promote womens independence and decision making encourage women to think independently and participate in decision making whether that be voting politically, sharing opinions or having an equal say in decisions made at home.

Challenge gender stereotypes and encourage individuality role model this by staying true to who you are however that is best expressed. If you freely enjoy an activity that is typical of another gender, it may encourage others to do the same. Be mindful of common sayings such as she w