Today is White Ribbon Day, which marks the start of 16 days of action to end men’s violence against women and girls.
White Ribbon Day – 25th November. #AllMenCan make a difference to end men’s violence against women. #MakeThePromise #WhiteRibbonDay pic.twitter.com/wvBuvxnwQP
— White Ribbon UK (@WhiteRibbon_UK) November 24, 2021
#AllMenCan is the hashtag this year. As the organisers explain:
It was developed for us in March when the murder of Sarah Everard brought women’s experience of men’s violence to the forefront of everyone’s minds. It also opened up so many conversations about men taking action and making a stand. We want as many men as possible to think carefully and make the White Ribbon Promise to never commit, excuse or remain silent about male violence against women.
I am pleased to see that my own local Council is signed up as a White Ribbon Accredited Organisation. Is yours? You can check here.
Do let us know in the comments about any local Lib Dem led action.
* Mary Reid is a contributing editor on Lib Dem Voice. She was a councillor in Kingston upon Thames, where she is still very active with the local party, and is the Hon President of Kingston Lib Dems.
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2 Comments
I won’t be wearing a white ribbon Mary.
Tragically, another young woman , hardly out of childhood appears ti have been murdered as she walked to see her boyfriend. What that child/woman suffered does not bear thinking about..
I think most people’s thoughts at this time will be for the parents, family and friends who are now living through this nightmare.. There will be a time when I will become angry, very angry about the social attitudes that fail to challenge the male violence that so many women experience. Indeed the arrogant failure to understand and accept why that fear exists.
I share the anger expressed by many that far too many of my fellow men will not speak out against violence against women or indeed step in when that is necessary. As a child of the 50s it has been a long and emotionally difficult journey to shed the values of my childhood and teenage years, but a thoroughly worthwhile one. I know I can still be loud and bombastic, but as a Quaker I am also a pacifist and violence is abhorrent to me. in many places there is still a belief that you don’t shop people, whatever they are doing. Now really is the time to speak out against violence against women (and indeed against LGBT+ as well) and to make sure that aggression is contained to the sports field. This is especially true now as attitudes many of us thought had vanished forever are now blossoming in post Brexit UK. I was not in the UK in November, so could not take part in white ribbon day, but was there in spirit at least.