tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27253458810862608272024-03-05T22:31:05.431+11:00White RibbonWhite Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-24370727807838010152014-03-18T13:42:00.002+11:002014-03-18T13:53:17.080+11:00Your #AskRachael questions answered<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Facebook followers were recently invited to send questions to Rachael Taylor, Lead White Ribbon Champion, as part of White Ribbon Australia's 'Uncover Secrets' campaign. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rachael has personally responded to six questions. Please see these questions and answers below.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi Chana! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think that
the single most empowering thing a woman who is the victim of domestic violence
does is go through a certain reckoning with themselves, an internal acknowledgement
that the acts of violence or abuse committed against themselves are happening
and real and that they are wrong.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looking back there is a real shift that I can
identify, a certain internal shift that resulted in a pledge of allegiance to
myself. I know this sounds very arcane, very mysterious, but I can absolutely
attest to a moment of personal change and honesty with myself from which great
external change grew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Denial and shame can
be a very potent adversary for a woman who is trying to reconcile the fact that
she is victim of abuse. It can take a series of realisations to combat these
feelings but ultimately this personal ‘ratification’ of sorts is an incredibly empowering
act. It is the first step of honesty with oneself that can allow broader honesty
with people around us, speaking out, asking for help etc. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As bystanders to violence
or simply as people who wish to see the ends of men’s violence against women in
Australia in our lifetime, it is important to understand how difficult it is
for a women who is the victim of violence to proclaim that she is a victim. If
we understand the complexities that victims face, we can better understand what
we can do to help them and engage in a more comprehensive and honest dialogue
with them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check out <a href="http://www.whiteribbon.org.whatmencando/">www.whiteribbon.org.whatmencando</a>
for more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi Paula</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think you are
already contributing to changing the way women in violent relationships are
viewed by others!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In engaging in this dialogue and helping to debunk some of
the assumptions that the wider community has about women in violent
relationships you are widening the space for further conversation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Conversation
is very powerful! Through conversation we can shift public perceptions to a broader
understanding of the intricacies of spousal abuse. That includes conversation
about the psychological aspects of violence, be it manipulations, bullying, financial
abuse, threats, insults, entrapment and the like (psychological abuse can take
on a shockingly vast array of forms).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Profound social change
does take time. I think we should aim to keep a dialogue that is open, public,
patient and true. You are contributing already.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Helen, thank you for this. I
understand how tricky this must be for you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Threats of self harm? That is
psychological abuse, and it too is an act of violence. My feeling is that our view
of violence is often far too narrow, that we often expect to see a certain cliché
version of domestic violence and we are not really sure how to feel or what to
do when abuse and violence appears in a more surprising or obscure way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not
precisely sure why we make certain assumptions about what violence is or is
not, though my instinct tells me that the real issue here is that we do not
want to talk about domestic violence and confront the appalling prolificness of
it in our communities. So we generalise, we stereotype, we ignore, we choose to
erect a certain paradigm, a certain preconceived notion in our minds about
domestic violence, to protect us from acknowledging the hard fact, which is
that violence against women is VERY common. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And yes, you are very right to
proclaim how difficult it is to walk away from an abusive relationship. It is
NOT easy, it is very hard to do! I think you are very courageous. Looking
forwards, I would like to see a greater sense of conversation between women
about the many forms that abuse and violence can take, both physical, psychological,
sexual, financial, destruction of property etc. Thank you for contributing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi Tessa!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thank you so much! It
is very inspiring for me to read about other women such as yourself who are proud
of themselves for leaving and who can now declare that they know it </span>wasn't<span style="font-size: small;"> their ‘fault’. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think this feeling of responsibility is a very potent one for
women who are victims of domestic violence, and it took me a long time to understand
that I was not responsible for the acts of violence committed against </span>me. I talk a little
bit more about this topic in a video I made at www.uncoversecrets.com.au. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shame is a
particularly insidious emotion and I think it often prevents us from engaging
in a richer discussion about men’s violence against women in our communities. The Uncover Secrets
project is one of the things we are trying to do to combat the stigmas that
people have about men’s violence against women. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spread the word for us, we are
gathering video submissions from the community at large to eventually build a kind
of online library of diverse thoughts and opinions about men’s violence against
women.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi Natasha <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This question provoked
a lot of thoughts for me, it is a very interesting one! I’m not totally sure
how to answer it?! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Listen, I don’t think there is any prescribed feeling a
woman who is the victim of domestic violence should or should not have. I think
an entire range of feelings can be expected. Personally speaking, I think the
rule with feelings of hatred and anger is that they are fine to have, so long
as they don’t hurt you or anybody else. If those feelings are not present, that’s
fine too, so long as a woman is not identifying with her aggressor in a way
that prevents her from understanding the gravity of the acts of violence
committed against her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are some
emotional responses that I think are important to cultivate though. Your feelings
about the perpetrator are not the ones that really count, it is the feelings
that you have about yourself that matter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Accepting and knowing that all
wrongdoing was not something you were deserving of, that you have self-value
separate to anything or anyone around you and that ultimately you are only
responsible to yourself. These are important things to think about as you move
forwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi Amy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What an astute
observation. Yep, across the board we label and stereotype domestic violence,
both the victims of it and the perpetrators of it. Men’s violence against women
occurs prolifically across a great mass of cultures, locations and
socio-economic spheres.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have read so many stories about ‘well to do’ middle
aged, middle class, professional women with “respectable” husbands who suffer
years of terrible abuse (which is not to say that a woman of this “type” is
more or less important than anyone else, but she is a surprising and important
addition to the conversation).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the difficulties we face when we talk
about domestic violence is that it very often occurs behind closed doors -
women sometimes feel responsible to hide their abuse, they feel ashamed of it,
they look to avoid the societal stigma of domestic violence and so they suffer
behind closed doors. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Debunking stereotypes is one of the things myself and White
Ribbon Australia are very committed to. If enough people engage in the violence
against women conversation, share their secrets, opinions, stories or
statements about domestic violence I feel like we could, over time, make some
very solid traction in collapsing these stereotypes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This sort of, disassembly
of assumptions of violence against women in a broader cultural context is a
long term aim of mine. White Ribbon and I have set up a micro website www.uncoversecrets.com.au to try and uncover secrets and hopefully combat the harmful
mythology that exists around violence against women. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I say it is harmful
because my feeling is that anything that is untrue, only partially true, or an
assumption that prevents us all from understanding the real extent of violence
against women and all of its complexities hinders our prevention of it. Thank <span style="line-height: 107%;">you! Please keep sharing your thoughts
with us. It really helps!</span></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-52250375869585332562014-01-31T16:47:00.002+11:002014-01-31T16:48:39.659+11:00RISE ON V-DAY<div style="line-height: 12.75pt; margin: 12pt 0cm; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<div style="line-height: 12.75pt; margin: 12pt 0cm; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><i><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Whether we know it or not, every single one of us knows someone who is suffering abuse or has experienced violence. Together we have the responsibility, and the power, to be the generation that changes all that.” </span></span></i><i style="line-height: 12.75pt;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">White Ribbon Ambassador, Andrew O’Keefe.</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 14.949999809265137px;">Millions of men and women around the world will unite on February 14 as part of One Billion Rising; a global campaign to stop violence against women.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">This year, One Billion Rising will
build upon the energy and momentum that was created in 2013, when activists
from 207 countries united in support of an end to violence against women and
girls. To see what it looked like, click </span><a href="http://www.onebillionrising.org/619/risingvideo/"><span style="line-height: 115%;">here</span></a><span style="line-height: 115%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Intimate partner violence is the most common type of
violence against women, affecting 30 per cent of women worldwide, according to
the 2013 World Health Organization report<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85239/1/9789241564625_eng.pdf"><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Global and regional estimates of violence against women:
Prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and non-partner
sexual violence</span></i></a><em><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">.</span></em><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And Australia is not immune.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According to the latest Australian Institute of
Criminology statistics, 116 women were killed by someone they with whom they
shared a principal domestic relationship between 2008-10.<span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Australian Bureau of Statistics data also indicates that that one
in three Australian women over the age of 15 reports having experienced
physical or sexual violence at some time in their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And there
are many other incidents that go unreported.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12.75pt; margin: 12pt 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The victims are not just statistics – they are
wives, mothers, daughters, grand-daughters, sisters, aunts, nieces, friends and
colleagues. Most importantly, they are people, and the impact of the violence
perpetrated against them is widespread and long-standing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12.75pt; margin: 12pt 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Violence against women is never a private
issue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12.75pt; margin: 12pt 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, on Valentine’s Day 2014 rise, say no to
violence against women and join in the online conversation using #RISE4Justice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 12.75pt; margin: 12pt 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">If you would like to register a joint White
Ribbon/One Billion Rising event, please register your event at <a href="http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/events">www.whiteribbon.org.au/events</a> to receive a free resource pack. If you would
like more information on One Billion Rising, please visit <a href="http://www.onebillionrising.org/">www.onebillionrising.org</a>.</span></div>
White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-66949617536458306272013-12-17T14:38:00.000+11:002013-12-17T14:56:31.782+11:00Violence remains a major cause of homelessness for women and their children<div class="Body">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">The Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare's report released </span><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="line-height: 107%;">toda</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">y
evidences that, although the number of
women accessing specialist homelessness services has dropped, domestic and
family violence remains a major cause of homelessness for women and their
children.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129545629"><span class="Hyperlink0"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Specialist
Homelessness Services 2012-13</span></span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"> presents
the following</span><span lang="DE" style="line-height: 107%;"> pertinent findings:</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 36.85pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">• </span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">In 2012–13,
32 per cent of all people receiving assistance from homelessness agencies were
escaping domestic or family violence (77,870 clients).</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 36.85pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">• </span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">The
majority of clients of specialist homelessness services who were escaping
domestic and family violence were adult females (63 per cent) and children
under 10 years of age (19 per cent).</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 72.85pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 72.0pt; text-indent: -18.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">o </span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">Females
aged 15 years and over accounted for 67 per cent of this group, and children
aged under 14 accounted for an additional 25 per cent.</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 72.85pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 72.0pt; text-indent: -18.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">o </span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">Males
aged 15 years and older accounted for 7 per cent of clients in this group. </span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 72.85pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 72.0pt; text-indent: -18.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">o </span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">Among
children (0–9 and 10–14 years), there were similar numbers of boys and girls.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 72.85pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 72.0pt; text-indent: -18.85pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">Sadly, an estimated 244,000 Australians
accessed specialist homelessness services in 2012-13 – representing a three per
cent increase from the 230,000 Australians that asked for help in 2011-12. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">However, perhaps signalling a positive shift
in social change, the percentage of women accessing specialist homelessness
services dropped from 78 per cent in 2011-12 to 63 per cent in 2012-13. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">The <a href="http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129542549" target="_blank">2011-12 report</a> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"> stated that people experiencing domestic or family violence made up one-third
of the those that accessed specialist homelessness services in that period. Of
such clients, 78 per cent were female.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">While these new statistics potentially show
improvement, more work needs to be done to stop violence against women, and not
just in the home.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">White Ribbon Australia continues to work
towards an end to violence against women in all its forms, including physical,
sexual, emotional and financial.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">The United Nations Declaration on the
Elimination of Violence against Women defines violence against women as: </span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">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 deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in
public or private life.</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="Body">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">This definition also appears within </span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">The
National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;">. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Body">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body">
<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For more information on Australia’s campaign
to stop violence against women, visit www.whiteribbon.org.au.</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-90775955080153599032013-11-22T18:01:00.001+11:002013-11-22T18:01:39.190+11:00Get social and help uncover Australia's dark secrets<strong><em>Australia, land of secrets</em></strong> is a new awareness raising campaign that was launched in the lead up to White Ribbon Day, Monday 25 November.<br />
<br />
The new campaign intends to give a voice to the everyday experiences of violence that occur all around Australia. These acts, from inappropriate behaviour or harassment to physical and emotional abuse, are part of a culture of violence in Australia.<br />
<br />
On White Ribbon Day we’re asking supporters to send us photos of them in their local communities, proudly wearing their white ribbons. Share them on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/whiteribbonaustralia" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteRibbonAust" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://pinterest.com/whiteribbonaust/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/whiteribbonaust" target="_blank">Instagram </a>to help raise awareness of Australia’s dark secret.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGS9Cbkwuu0jN-ZPbyPiKu8W9dH5jEXiTn6iT1vqSpWRzqAMhViA7XU_v3CAC2-3o951MvmuDwPqqxur6-NMq_jxptyWkYZRANh2ZtjKNM8TGhjeCdmC0NPMH43LynQaXOzt0AkgXoBs/s1600/Get+social+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGS9Cbkwuu0jN-ZPbyPiKu8W9dH5jEXiTn6iT1vqSpWRzqAMhViA7XU_v3CAC2-3o951MvmuDwPqqxur6-NMq_jxptyWkYZRANh2ZtjKNM8TGhjeCdmC0NPMH43LynQaXOzt0AkgXoBs/s400/Get+social+pic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Let's get this trending worldwide! Find us, follow us and share the White Ribbon message. Make sure you use the #WhiteRibbonDay hashtag and tag us in your White Ribbon Day photos and posts.<br />
<br />
To watch the new White Ribbon TV ad, read real life stories and find out what you can do to help stop violence against women, click <a href="http://www.uncoversecrets.com.au/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-22388837529580368962013-09-02T16:46:00.000+10:002013-09-02T16:47:36.993+10:00Wishing for another father’s day card…if only. A post from a White Ribbon supporter. Father’s day has come and gone. It’s a time to celebrate what it means to be a father and the love that father’s give, no matter what.<br />
<br />
However, to others it can bring memories of the past and the loss of a son or daughter.<br />
<br />
In my case I recently lost my daughter who lived in a domestic violence relationship. For those fathers who live with only memories, I share your grief. I still have beautiful memories that I would like to share with all the Fathers who read this. <br />
<br />
<strong>What Father’s Day meant to my daughter.</strong> <br />
<br />
I found this 2012 Father’s Day card on my side cupboard from my daughter who passed in March 2013.<br />
<br />
<em>Dearest Dad</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>Today is father’s day and I wish I was with you even though I have my own family it’s just not the same without my Dad. You are my rock, my strength and always in my heart and mind, guiding me through life and its challenges, you are my inspiration. Thank you for being the best dad I could ever ask for. You and mum and our family are my life.</em><br />
<em>I will always be your little girl and Daddy’s girl no matter how old I get. I love you more than words can say.</em><br />
<br />
<em>Love Helena</em> <br />
<br />
This love was taken from me and with your help, and the work of White Ribbon, we can reduce violence against women.<br />
<br />
Helena’s Dad,<br />
GaryWhite Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-83743751970986428732013-07-10T16:33:00.003+10:002013-07-10T16:37:41.374+10:00A letter from the Chair: White Ribbon NightWhite Ribbon Night is an exciting new initiative in the critical strategy to engage the Australian community in the prevention of men’s violence against women. The White Ribbon Night is encouraging people to “have a night in to get the word out” about the seriousness of the issue of violence against women in Australia. Sadly, for many women and children, the home is not a safe place. In Australia at least one woman is killed every week by a current or former partner. And one in four young Australians witness violence against their mother. This night is about focusing attention on this issue while having a fun night in, to help us raise funds to support research and enhance the work being done to prevent violence against women before it occurs.<br /><br />White Ribbon Australia is breaking new ground as it moves forward in an attempt to engage with more men in men’s spaces. An exciting, challenging and a few say controversial element of the White Ribbon Night is the engagement with the major retailer, the Woolworths Liquor Group. White Ribbon Australia sees this as entering a space that is a male domain and it presents us with an opportunity to engage with men where it matters. The arrangement provides White Ribbon Australia with a national retail merchandising opportunity and, at the same time, provides an opportunity for the Woolworths Liquor Group to demonstrate its commitment to saying No to Violence against Women. The partnership is all about the No to Violence against Women message. Importantly, there are no funds/profits from the sale of alcohol supporting White Ribbon Australia.<br /><br />White Ribbon Australia is Australia’s only national male led campaign to prevent men’s violence against women. The White Ribbon Night is an extension of White Ribbon Australia’s commitment to engaging men in preventing violence. The broader campaign is now in its tenth year and White Ribbon Australia is a significant player in the Australian field of primary prevention of men’s violence against women. White Ribbon Australia has worked hard to grow the Campaign, to engage good men in driving positive social change, to acknowledge and pay tribute to the activity across the community including the many community and women’s groups who, over the years, have focused attention on the issue of violence against women. White Ribbon acknowledges that stopping violence at a community level shouldn’t be an obligation on women to keep themselves safe, but a responsibility of the community, and particularly of men, to not commit violence, and to show leadership in promoting community safety.<br /><br />White Ribbon Australia’s approach has been built on research and action from across the globe. It is based on models of prevention such as those articulated by VicHealth and the WHO Ecological Model of Prevention. These provide a paradigm for engaging men in ending men’s violence against women. The salient action of the White Ribbon Campaign in Australia is to change the attitudes and behaviours based on the constructs of masculinity relating to power and control that perpetuate this violence. As the research indicates, issues relating to male privilege and control are critical factors predicting perpetration of men’s violence against women. <br /><br />White Ribbon works from an evidence base to inform innovative approaches to engage men in primary prevention. Each year White Ribbon analyses strategies that will better engage men to become positive influencers in this social change space. This issue is so important, so pervasive, and so damaging that every man has a potential role in stopping violence. The campaign draws on good men to speak out, stand up, drive change and give up being passive bystanders. <br /><br />The White Ribbon Australia Campaign and its approach were applauded at the recent United Nations Commission of the Status of Women in New York and the progress being made in Australia highly acclaimed. The approach was also acknowledged as world first by Dr Jackson Katz at the recent International White Ribbon Conference in Sydney.<br /><br />The Have a Night in to Get the Word Out on Friday 26 July was chosen as a strategy for the engagement of men following extensive research on a number of levels: the link between alcohol and violence; an understanding of the factors that predict the perpetration of men’s violence against women; and market research on how to best engage men and challenge current behaviours.<br /><br />So, “have a night in to get the word out” about the seriousness of the issue of violence against women in Australia. Enjoy your night in events, big and small, and help us to get on with the job of tackling this scourge in our society.<br /><br />Lt Gen. Ken Gillespie (RTD)<br /><br />Chair<br /><br />White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-15377880394722368562013-06-14T16:54:00.000+10:002013-06-14T16:55:03.023+10:00Violence against women in all its forms<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Media activity this week highlights yet again the deeply
entrenched and insidious issues of disrespect and misogynism that is
embedded across our Australian community. The underlying causes of this
disrespect are also those that perpetuate violence against women. It is
disturbing to see that there is no woman in Australia that is potentially
exempt - this has been evidenced by what we have witnessed this week in
respect of our Prime Minister, the hearing of the Jill Meagher case and the
incidents that have been identified in the Australian Army.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Flicking through our news this week we see - the <i>Daily
Telegraph</i> reporting the suburbs in south-west Sydney that make up the
majority of the top 10 suburbs for domestic violence per capita in metropolitan
Sydney; in the SMH reference to the Australian Army dealing with issues
of the denigration of women, on <i>Sunrise</i> we hear that a Perth radio host
has been taken off air for asking Prime Minister Julia Gillard disrespectful,
inappropriate and personally invasive, insulting questions that have nothing to
do with politics … The list goes on.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These incidents are covered as separate news stories but
they are not isolated. They are part of the bigger picture that flags the
insidiousness of violence against women, of the constructs of male power and
control that perpetuate that violence. They also highlight that violence
against women is not always physical and it doesn’t always occur in a domestic
situation.<br />
<br />
The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence
against Women defines violence against women as: <i>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 deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or
private life.</i> This definition also appears within <i>The National Plan to
Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022</i>.<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Australian women, no matter their position in society,
continue to be treated as second class citizens and <u>yet we know that is not
how the majority of men</u> view their position. This week good men, White
Ribbon Ambassadors, have spoken out and taken action as they continue to do so
in every aspect of their lives. They are part of the White Ribbon Campaign,
working hard to change the attitudes and behaviours that lead to and perpetuate
men’s violence against women, by engaging boys and men to lead social change.<br />
<br />
“While living free from violence is everyone’s right, reducing violence is
everyone’s responsibility”. (<i>National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women
and their Children</i>. </div>
White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-16624146344795671592013-06-12T15:41:00.000+10:002013-06-12T15:49:41.783+10:00White Ribbon Australia celebrates Men’s Health Week<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Men’s Health Week (June 10-16) is an important
opportunity to celebrate the good things men and boys do to better society. It
also recognises the amazing work of those who reach out to men to improve their
overall wellbeing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Men’s Health Week website lists <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">positive role modelling</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">mutual respect</b> as two major factors
that contribute to men’s improved overall health and wellbeing. And White
Ribbon Australia couldn’t agree more!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
is because the White Ribbon Campaign is about recognising the positive role
that men play in preventing violence against women. It fosters and encourages
male leadership in the prevention of violence against women, by engaging men
and boys to lead positive social change.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Based
on the understanding that most men are not violent, the Campaign is a means for
men to speak out against violence against women. It is also a means for good men
to safely and effectively challenge the attitudes and behaviours of a minority
of men who use or condone violence against women.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Australia's
unique Ambassadors' Program supports thousands of men to be the faces and
leaders of the campaign, by living the White Ribbon Oath: <em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">never to
commit, excuse or remain silent about violence against women.<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This Men’s Health
Week, we pay tribute to our Ambassadors who are amazing role models and do a
great job of reaching out to men with the aim of improving their overall
wellbeing. We also take this opportunity to encourage more men to get involved
in Australia’s only national, male-led campaign to end men’s violence against
women.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">White
Ribbon Australia believes in the capacity of the individual to change and to
encourage change in others. Together we can make a difference to the lives of
men and women around Australia.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 2013 theme of Men’s Health Week is ‘what
will you do?’ and White Ribbon Australia has a few suggestions as to ‘what you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i> do’ to help stop violence against
women:</span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgr4zzViLfRJYW5uI-q2Fw8G8oDp5mvVTLCbinSGK9VvbW3Xuwcr5_GLg2G6qvcbwfm57VxNkYOzthGwni3EOF1E9JHiFOHStqXGW9XlOOsk-5vhbGOKlR8z95FUWKipwSnQIb1peFBk/s1600/ecard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgr4zzViLfRJYW5uI-q2Fw8G8oDp5mvVTLCbinSGK9VvbW3Xuwcr5_GLg2G6qvcbwfm57VxNkYOzthGwni3EOF1E9JHiFOHStqXGW9XlOOsk-5vhbGOKlR8z95FUWKipwSnQIb1peFBk/s400/ecard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHqB4Ss8aC74lL08Sr-UNLnIKRbiRhFn8s0FqpYJVr2VM9GHYjz44nknGor52HzjvQ6vstt-61AhUyI7cFgcn11JBvmH5bHtYwDTFl7J4mBf3q5m-n5R4aG-0UdezSh9-eHZGbghobfI/s1600/ecard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-73625757407404573622013-06-03T16:28:00.001+10:002013-06-06T12:48:58.722+10:00WHITE RIBBON INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO BECOME A BIENNIAL EVENT<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Following the success of the inaugural White Ribbon
International Conference, White Ribbon Australia is pleased to announce
the conference will become a biennial event, the next to be held in 2015.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Earlier this month, hundreds of
delegates from around Australia and across the world - including key
researchers, practitioners, policy makers and activists - converged in Sydney
to showcase research, policies and programs that work to change the attitudes
that perpetuate men’s violence against women. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The theme of the 2013 conference was <i>Global to Local:
Preventing Men’s Violence against Women – Research, Policy and Practice in One
Space. </i></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The three-day conference was a diverse international arena, which
gave attendees the opportunity to engage in research, policy and practice,
globally and locally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The conference aim was to enhance understanding of the
causes of men’s violence and explore strategies of engagement to address this
violence. The conference, in providing a global to local perspective,
challenged us all on the constructs and paradigms that influence these
strategies and our ensuing preventative action. The outstanding keynote
speakers provided critical analysis of the causes, impacts, strategies and
evidenced best practice in tackling this insidious violence. The plenary panels
and concurrent sessions allowed for discussion of research and action in this
space in greater depth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Throughout, we heard about how best to take these understandings
and learnings into our work as agents of change, as by-standers that can make a
difference, work that as Jackson Katz said, ‘transcends the workplace’.
But it is also imperative that we utilise the context and authority of
the workplace to further progress this work – on the sporting field, in our
institutions, the corporate board room and other spheres of influence. The
final panel shared valuable knowledge and recommendations on how to activate
the media and reach the much-needed critical mass. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Perhaps the most important outcome of the conference is
that White Ribbon Australia envisages participants are going back to their
workplaces, communities, to their respective spheres of influence, with renewed
motivation and capacity to drive normative change. It is White Ribbon
Australia's hope that the Conference will help us all to continue to drive
positive change for women and children in Australia and perhaps even in other
parts of the globe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">White Ribbon Australia CEO, Libby Davies, said: “It allowed
delegates to be part of the critical dialogue between research, policy, primary
and tertiary prevention; help build productive relationships with primary
prevention; better position its place in social policy; and demonstrate our
total commitment to social change.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Date and venue details for the 2015 conference will be
announced at the end of 2013, with a call for abstracts to go out in mid-2014.
To receive regular updates, sign up for our newsletter at </span><a href="http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.whiteribbon.org.au</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Please click <a href="http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/update/global-to-local-conference-2013-wrap-up" target="_blank">here</a> for a list of available presentations from the 2013 conference.</span> </div>
White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-81507112917208501612013-05-03T09:09:00.004+10:002013-05-03T09:09:59.999+10:00White Ribbon Australia celebrates National Volunteer Week<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="font-size: small;">In keeping with the ‘Thanks a Million’ theme of National Volunteer Week 2013 (13-19 May), White Ribbon Australia is taking this very special opportunity to thank its many volunteers, who generously donate their time to helping prevent violence against women. </span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">National Volunteer Week (NVW), the largest celebration of volunteers and volunteerism in Australia, provides a platform to pay tribute to the six million Australians who donate their time to help others. <br />
<br />
White Ribbon Australia CEO, Libby Davies, said the important role of volunteers in society should not be underestimated; many charities would struggle to survive without the support of volunteers, who contribute more than 700 million hours of community service. They are the unsung heroes. <br />
<br />
"In the case of White Ribbon Australia, volunteers are essential for furthering our work in raising awareness, and changing attitudes and behaviours that lead to violence against women," Ms Davies said. <br />
<br />
"Their support has also greatly contributed to the longevity of White Ribbon Australia, which celebrates its 10</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">th </span><span style="font-size: small;">year in May with the inaugural international conference </span><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Arial; font-size: small;">Global to Local: Preventing Men’s Violence against Women – Research, Policy and Practice in One Space. </span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Arial,Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Arial; font-size: small;">
</span></span></i><span style="font-family: Arial,Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Arial; font-size: small;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"Whether it be selling White Ribbon merchandise on White Ribbon Day (November 25) or lending your skills to our organisation, we are very grateful for your support." <br />
<br />
White Ribbon Australia warmly welcomes new volunteers. To register your interest, please visit </span><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;">www.whiteribbon.org.au/volunteer </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">or email </span><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;">volunteer@whiteribbon.org.au</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">For more information on White Ribbon Australia’s inaugural international conference, visit </span><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/globaltolocal">www.whiteribbon.org.au/globaltolocal</a></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span><br />White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-85934906306939298592013-03-28T13:02:00.000+11:002013-03-28T13:09:08.905+11:00White Ribbon Australia welcomes new Chair<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><strong>White Ribbon Australia welcomes former Chief of Army, retired Lieutenant-General Ken Gillespie as Chair. </strong></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;">Outgoing Chair Andrew O'Keefe shares
a few words with White Ribbon Australia supporters and ambassadors.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="color: white;">Dear supporters/fellow Ambassadors<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="color: white;">After six years as Chairman of the Board of White Ribbon Australia, I
have decided to take a break. I will of course remain a very active Ambassador
and in all likelihood will return to the Board at some stage in the future. But
I feel the time is right for some new blood at the top of the organisation, and
I'm genuinely excited by the expertise and enthusiasm we have waiting in the
wings amongst our Ambassadorial brethren!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="color: white;">I have been an Ambassador for White Ribbon since the campaign's
inception back in 2003 when it was really just a group of 12 or so people,
sitting around a table, wondering what could be done about the silent epidemic
of violence in Australia. At that point, I knew nothing about this issue other
than that violence against women was plainly wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="color: white;">But since those early days, I have watched with enormous pride as we,
all of us, have helped to put VAW on the social map and on the political
agenda, and have become a catalyst for the growing awareness that things <i>CAN</i>
change. Domestic violence is no longer considered a private issue; Australians
from all walks of life now feel empowered to speak up and demand justice; men
are now seen as the key to the solution and not simply the cause of the
problem; and prevention has become recognised as the foundation stone of
change. This has all happened since White Ribbon Australia came into being and
so much of it is due to your efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="color: white;">Of course, there are many many women who have worked in the area of
domestic violence and sexual assault for decades, whose teachings and support
for White Ribbon have been crucial to our growth and whose wisdom we will
continue to seek. I thank them all for their kindness and their acceptance of
our male-led campaign into an area where many had every right to distrust us.
One of the things that has warmed my heart most of all about White Ribbon is
seeing the way that preconceptions and differences melt away when people
honestly commit to a mutual goal for good.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="color: white;">There's a lot more we still have to do. Now that people are aware of the
enormity of the problem of violence against women, our next task is to motivate
them to want to end it. And then to give them the tools to make that change
happen. That's a massive job, and it's our job.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="color: white;">Now, I'm not going to write a memoir here, but I do want to say one or
two things to you my fellow Ambassadors, things that I think we need always to
remember if we really want to get that job done.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"></span><br />
<ul type="disc"><span style="color: white;">
</span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="color: white;">Firstly, I believe it's
important that every one of us continues to learn about the problem of
violence against women - its causes, its prevalence, its many impacts, and
the strategies for change. It is essential that we become articulate
spokespeople for our cause, that we really know our stuff, because it's
our understanding and our fire that will win our mates over.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<span style="color: white;">
</span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="color: white;">Secondly, we should never
pass up the smallest opportunity to demonstrate to our sons and mates and
colleagues what respect and equality really means in our life, whether
that's by the way we treat the women in our lives, or the talk that we
tolerate amongst our friends, or the lessons that we chose to teach our
sons and daughters about the things they see in the world around them
every day. If we want them to see the possibilities for change, we have to
<i>be</i> those possibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<span style="color: white;">
</span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="color: white;">And lastly, we should all
know that what we're trying to achieve is something completely new, and
that the way we're going about it is at the frontiers of change. So we
should never be embarrassed by what we don't yet know and we should never
be afraid to test out new ideas. The White Ribbon office is there to
support you, but you are the drivers of this change. So use our resources
and be bold in the job fellas.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<span style="color: white;">
</span></ul>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="color: white;">Your new Chairman is a wonderful asset to the Foundation. Former Chief
of Army, retired Lieutenant-General Ken Gillespie brings to White Ribbon
Australia a wealth of experience after a long and uniquely distinguished
military career. He has a very strong track record of successful institutional
and workplace reform, and just as importantly, Ken has provided strong personal
leadership in acknowledging and addressing some of the key cultural issues
currently facing our armed forces. His military and his recent industry
experiences have helped Ken establish a very strong leadership reputation and
as such he has a strong and influential network of national political,
government and corporate leaders. Ken is well placed, along with the skills and
capacity of other Board members, to keep White Ribbon Australia at the
forefront of the cultural reform necessary to address the tragedy of men's
violence against women.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="color: white;">Okay, well that's about it for now. Best of luck in all your endeavours
this year, thanks for being the leading lights of the White Ribbon campaign,
and I look forward to seeing you out and about at one of the Ambassador events.
Keep up the great work…I know for a fact that it's making a difference to the
lives of our wives and daughters and sisters and mums and friends and
girlfriends, and the millions of other women and girls that we don't know, all
of whom deserve the same opportunities for happiness and peace that most of us
Aussie men take for granted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: white;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="color: white;">Cheers,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU;"><span style="color: white;">Andrew O'Keefe<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-86033265224441429722013-03-01T09:44:00.001+11:002013-03-01T11:02:38.935+11:00White Ribbon Australia welcomes NCE Chair<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">White Ribbon
Australia congratulates Professor Anne Edwards on being appointed Chair of the
National Centre of Excellence (NCE), established to help reduce domestic,
family and sexual violence around Australia. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The centre is
a key strategy to deliver on the Australian Government</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">’s $86
million National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children
2010-2022. It will focus on improving the evidence base on violence against
women and its application towards enhancing policy, programs and practice. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The recent announcement by the Minister for
the Status of Women, Julie Collins, that the former Vice-Chancellor of Flinders
University, Emeritus Professor Edwards, had been appointed to the position of
Chair has been welcomed by White Ribbon. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="ariel" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 28.25pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Professor
Edwards’ other senior positions have included Deputy Chair of the Australian
Research Council and Chair of the Research Committee at the Academy of Social
Sciences of Australia. She is also a fellow at the Australian Academy of Social
Sciences, Australian College of Educators and Australian Institute of Company
Directors.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Professor Edwards brings a wealth of
knowledge and skills to this very important project, which will work ultimately
to improve the lives of women who have experienced or are experiencing
violence. Building a more solid evidence base to enhance on the ground
responses to women and their children and primary prevention strategies to stop
violence occurring against women in the first place is vital,” White Ribbon Australia CEO, Ms Libby Davies said. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“As Australia’s only national, male-led
primary prevention campaign to stop violence against women, White Ribbon
Australia is particularly eager to see the centre develop a national agenda to
improve policy and service delivery in the prevention of violence against women
across Australia.” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Based in Sydney, the centre will begin
operations this year, providing a space for researchers, policy makers and
practitioners in the field to link-up and provide evidence based responses to
reduce domestic, family and sexual violence. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
centre has been established with the Commonwealth providing initial funding of
up to $1 million. From mid-2013, the centre will receive annual funding of $3
million, with the Commonwealth providing $1.5 million annually and the
remaining $1.5 million provided by the States and Territories on a per capita
basis.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="ariel" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 28.25pt 0pt 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">White Ribbon Australia looks forward to
working with the centre and to the opportunity for more comprehensive
information to be shared on its planned work agenda at the White Ribbon
International Conference to be held in Sydney in May. For more information, click <a href="http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/globaltolocal" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-76663601438249982052013-02-05T09:40:00.002+11:002013-02-05T09:42:14.508+11:00Don't stay silent about violence<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In Australia, one woman is killed every week by a current or
former partner.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Amongst those lost is 29-year-old Jessica, who was bashed to
death by her former partner of more than six years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">According to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">llawarra
Mercury</i> report<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> The danger of ignoring
domestic violence</i>, forensic pathologist Donald Ritchey concluded Jessica
had died due to several forceful kicks and in sentencing the perpetrator to 23
years jail, Justice Ewan Crawford noted there was an imprint of his shoe left
on her chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Read the full article <a href="http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/1203438/the-danger-of-ignoring-domestic-violence/" target="_blank">here.</a></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The article states that there were people closed to her that
knew of the abuse but often did not call the police, fearful it would intensify
the situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The article focuses attention on how we as a community –
friends, family, neighbours – should act against domestic violence as soon as
we are made aware of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As a male-led campaign that believes that most men are good
and that good men abhor such violence, White Ribbon works to stop this insidious
violence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The victims are not merely statistics; they are wives,
sisters, mothers, daughters and friends. Good men cannot and will not sit on
the sidelines while those they love are at risk of harm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And thousands of good men who have sworn the White Ribbon
oath have got your back, so don’t stay silent about violence. Make a stand,
speak up and swear never to commit, excuse or remain silent about violence
against women at </span><a href="http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.whiteribbon.org.au</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-12318454036887210772012-12-20T13:12:00.001+11:002012-12-20T13:12:13.790+11:00Hey mate, start a conversation with your friends this Christmas<br />
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<span lang="EN">Christmas is a
time when we gather with colleagues, friends and family, to share our activities
over the past year. </span>And one of the
noblest things many men reading this will have done in 2012 is swear the <a href="http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/heymate">White Ribbon Oath</a>; never to commit, excuse or remain silent about violence against
women.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN">Not
remaining silent</span><span lang="EN"> involves
starting conversations, so as to generate awareness and support. </span>Christmas is the
perfect time to start up such a conversation. Over a beer, a barbecue or
whatever it may be, talk to your mates – related or not – about the stand you
have made.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN">They are sure to
be impressed, maybe even inspired to take the oath themselves, and the women in
your circle will definitely appreciate the gesture as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">While awareness
is growing, there is still more work to be done to end violence against women. </span>For example, the <i>Specialist
Homelessness Services 2011-12</i> report, recently released by the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), shows violence against women is still a major cause of homelessness.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN">One-third of the
almost 230,000 Australians to access specialised homelessness services in that
period were people experiencing domestic of family violence. Of such clients, a
staggering 78 per cent were female. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN">Females also made
up 68 per cent of those at risk of homelessness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN">We need all the
help we can get, including you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN">Help stop
violence against women by swearing the oath (if you haven’t already) at <a href="http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/">www.whiteribbon.org.au</a>. If you are a
White Ribbon supporter and oath swearer, remember to start a conversation,
don’t stay silent!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-82833165227850898552012-11-09T17:39:00.000+11:002012-11-14T10:58:11.037+11:00Early Christmas shopping while supporting a good cause<br />
Not only is White Ribbon Day fast looming, but right around the corner is Christmas! If you are looking for a way to support the White Ribbon Campaign this year, and you’re stuck for ideas, here we profile some businesses that can help get the Christmas present list out of the way, and will also donate a percentage of proceeds to White Ribbon. Importantly, these companies support White Ribbon’s vision, <i>that all women live in safety free from violence and abuse</i>.<br />
<br />
<b>For Him</b><br />
<a href="http://www.snagsonline.com.au/" target="_blank">Snags Online</a> is a new online shopping experience providing products for men while giving to 5% to selected charities. For men who love to cook, maybe a few bottles of <a href="http://www.yellingbo.com/" target="_blank">Yellingbo Gold</a>, straight from the Yarra Valley. With $2 from every bottle of Yellingbo Gold going to White Ribbon, it’s sure to taste even better! While exercising off the Christmas turkey, consider gearing up with an undershirt from <a href="http://www.equmen.com/AU/" target="_blank">EQUMEN</a>, a compression shirt specifically designed to provide therapeutic benefits. The added benefit is $5 from each Black Undershirt and Long Trunk sold between 20 - 27 November goes to White Ribbon.<br />
<br />
<b>For Her</b><br />
<a href="http://www.suzannegrae.com.au/home.aspx" target="_blank">Suzanne Grae</a> are long-term partners of White Ribbon. Throughout November profits from selected Suzanne Grae t-shirts going to White Ribbon. A White Fashion week is also held every year from 19-25 November to promote the Campaign, with $1 from the sale of all White Fashion week items donated to White Ribbon by Suzanne Grae. <a href="http://www.fragrancesandcosmetics.com.au/" target="_blank">Fresh Fragrances and Cosmetics</a> is also generously supporting White Ribbon during the campaign period, donating $5 per order. <a href="http://jewelleryforacause.com/" target="_blank">Jewellery for a Cause</a> carry “cause related” jewellery, and has launched new necklaces and bracelets to support White Ribbon in November.<br />
<br />
<b>For everyone!</b><br />
We are not sure these delicious cupcakes will last until Christmas, however, if you head to <a href="http://www.puckles.com.au/" target="_blank">Puckles Family Bakehouse</a> you’ll not only get your sugar fix, but support White Ribbon with 25% of proceeds from the sale of White Ribbon cupcakes going directly to the Foundation. <a href="http://www.gofundraise.com.au/" target="_blank">GoFundraise</a> is a group buying site with a difference, a percentage of the commission from every order goes to your selected charity. Last but not least, if you are in the market for a new car, AHG dealerships in <a href="http://vic.ahg.com.au/" target="_blank">Victoria</a> and <a href="http://nsw.ahg.com.au/" target="_blank">New South Wales</a> are donating some of the profit from every car sold on 17 and 18 November to White Ribbon. When any excuse will do!<br />
<br />
<b>And don’t forget the postage…</b><br />
If you need to ship to your loved ones, <a href="http://www.platinumfreight.com.au/" target="_blank">Platinum Freight</a> donate a minimum of 5% from every invoice to White Ribbon all year round. Not only will your items arrive safely, but you’ll be supporting the safety of Australian women. What a Merry Christmas indeed!White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-41296131349707747842012-07-31T13:05:00.000+10:002012-07-31T13:28:27.281+10:00Preventing and responding to violence against women: More needs to be done<br />
Congratulations to <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2012/07/26/3554420.htm"><b>Four Corners</b></a> for documenting the
failures in the systems/justice services in adequately recognising and dealing
with the insidious issue of men's violence against women.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/"><b>White Ribbon</b></a> is committed to seeing further emphasis
on primary prevention strategies that are integrated across state and federally
funded services and the broader community. These are critical to developing in-depth understandings of the
attitudes and behaviours that result in these horrendous crimes.<br />
<br />
More broadly, there is a failure in the system to
understand and recognise the behaviours
that are clearly indicative of abuse and violence. Four Corners highlighted the
inextricable links between the most publicised crimes, namely homicide, and the
least publicised crimes that can eventually lead to homicide - that is the
daily dripping tap of family violence.<br />
<br />
In addition to the need for a review of the response
and justice system, Four Corners' story emphasises the need for primary
prevention strategies to help stop violent behaviour before it results in
homicide. White Ribbon will continue to drive cultural and behavioural change
within Australia through men and with men as the agents of this change. This is
an issue which requires a whole-of-community approach; men and women working
together to ensure violence against women is never tolerated. We are calling on
the men of Australia to step up, sign the oath and make it overtly known that
they condemn any man who is violent towards a woman.<br />
<br />
<b>Libby Davies</b><br />
<b>CEO</b><br />
<b>White Ribbon</b><br />
<br />
<i>"<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2012/07/26/3554420.htm">A Matter of Life and Death</a>", reported by Quentin McDermott and presented by Kerry O'Brien, first aired on Monday 30th July at 8.30pm on ABC1. It is replayed on Tuesday 31st July at 11.35pm. It can also be seen on Saturday at 8.00pm on
<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/abcnews24/">ABC News 24</a>,
<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/series/four%20corners">ABC iview </a>
and at
<a href="http://abc.net.au/4corners/default.htm">abc.net.au/4corners</a></i><br />
<br />
<br />White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-9503403249128822572012-07-04T17:20:00.000+10:002012-07-04T17:25:44.194+10:00Response to the post on Mamamia (25 June 2012) on the 60 Minutes Grant Hackett interviewThe recent article by Mamamia <a href="http://www.mamamia.com.au/news/grant-hackett-on-60-minutes-embarrassed-but-is-he-sorry/">Grant Hackett is ‘embarrassed’. But is he sorry?</a> and the hundreds of comments received in response, raise a number of important issues in relation to the way that domestic violence is framed and responded to in Australia. As Australia’s only male-led campaign to stop men’s violence against women White Ribbon seeks to develop a better understanding of these important issues within the Australian community.<br />
<br />
The issue of violence in our community is insidious and the White Ribbon Campaign has been developed because of the prevalence and insidiousness of men’s violence against women. Our community is no longer prepared to be silent about the destructiveness of violence that affects each and every one of us both directly and indirectly.<br />
<br />
Domestic violence does not only refer to physical acts of violence. The definition used by White Ribbon is broad and includes a number of non-physical forms of violence:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
‘Domestic violence is an abuse of power perpetrated mainly (but not only) by men against women in a relationship or after separation. It occurs when one partner attempts physically, psychologically and or emotionally to dominate and control the other.</blockquote>
Domestic violence takes a number of forms. The most commonly acknowledged forms are physical and sexual violence, threats and intimidation, emotional and social abuse and economic deprivation.’<br />
By fully embracing this broader definition the impact of domestic violence in all its forms is better understood. This understanding and acknowledgment is critical to prevention and response across the spectrum.<br />
<br />
<strong>Libby Davies</strong><br /><strong>CEO</strong><br /><strong>White Ribbon</strong><br /><br />White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-54400325106072896092012-06-13T13:50:00.001+10:002012-07-04T17:27:16.589+10:00First impressions from Stephen Carter, National Ambassador Program Manager<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-xmgW0i1edvDljnHo-dIS4BZVeB81fv4v7by7w0Bk4opbhCWKh0GDxqMp6mmOCpEfRZAh-hthzAru4fcpN9TNzHQadGeklJRgHRdbPSpUw6wGHUGA6plb2B4tXIv6rS0DHHTLGlEyP8/s1600/Stephen_Carter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-xmgW0i1edvDljnHo-dIS4BZVeB81fv4v7by7w0Bk4opbhCWKh0GDxqMp6mmOCpEfRZAh-hthzAru4fcpN9TNzHQadGeklJRgHRdbPSpUw6wGHUGA6plb2B4tXIv6rS0DHHTLGlEyP8/s200/Stephen_Carter.jpg" width="137" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You cannot believe how energetic the White Ribbon office staff is – smart, creative people who work hard to progress the White Ribbon mission. In some ways, this energy reflects the enthusiasm of the many Ambassadors and other volunteers I have met or spoken with on the phone over the last eight weeks. It is not hard to get excited when you are surrounded by all this enthusiasm. Without doubt, this is a great cause being driven by great people.</div>
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I have been surprised (although, in retrospect, I shouldn’t have been) by the amazing stories that Ambassadors have been telling me in relation to why they became involved in White Ribbon. This has included some very personal and difficult stories and I thank you for sharing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />Next week I will be traveling to a number of capital cities with Libby Davies, CEO of White Ribbon. This trip will focus on strengthening the working relationships between the White Ribbon National Office and State/Territory White Ribbon committees and groups. I look forward to meeting lots of you on this trip.</div>
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So, now that I (almost) have week eight under my belt, what is causing me to be excited going forward? </div>
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</div>
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Three things:</div>
<ol>
<li><div class="MsoNormal">
Make sure the Ambassadors team (Liam Dooley and I) provide great service to Ambassadors.</div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal">
Create new resources to support Ambassadors who are presenting on behalf of White Ribbon.</div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal">
Develop new ways for Ambassadors to talk to each other and to White Ribbon.</div>
</li>
</ol>
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So, I put this to you – what do you want to achieve with White Ribbon in 2012?</div>
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</div>
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<br /><strong>Stephen Carter</strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong>National Ambassador Program Manager</strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong>White Ribbon</strong></div>White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-61720394702616943372011-07-04T11:08:00.006+10:002012-06-13T14:04:05.762+10:00Breaking the Silence in SchoolsOn 18th May this year, White Ribbon hosted the first of three <em>Breaking the Silence in Schools</em> workshops for 2011. The <em>Breaking the Silence in Schools</em> program is a partnership between Suzanne Grae, the NSW Department of Training and Education, the schools participating and the White Ribbon Foundation.<br />
<em>Breaking the Silence</em> involves principals and other executives in our schools developing strategies to raise awareness of the issue of violence against women and girls, and implementing programs aimed at developing respectful relationships. This program is unique in that it involves incorporating White Ribbon approaches into existing school programs, and polices, and working with students, teaching staff and parent communities to create a ‘whole of school’ positive culture that promotes respectful relationships.<br />
Principals who participated in this latest workshop were enthusiastic about the program and identified a number of initiatives to help embed the messages of respect in their own school context.<br />
The second workshop, to be held on 20th July 2011, is fast-approaching and is shaping-up to be an exciting session. In this up-coming workshop the principals return to reflect on the progress of initiatives to date and to generate ideas for White Ribbon Day activities later in the year.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFsu2gFmPA4GgBVwHcBzp80nE1GkAcsR6eFISCcnI1yqJEV6WzHoQ-OnF6z2Pc0n9KXWLFpojzLmkkviEI8yQSR5JQBUBKqE9IvrEAeiwiRNW556jfed39ZJqL3JRBCiItx2IzHXuFN8/s1600/WorkshopOne2011IMG_9038.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625299596173592194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFsu2gFmPA4GgBVwHcBzp80nE1GkAcsR6eFISCcnI1yqJEV6WzHoQ-OnF6z2Pc0n9KXWLFpojzLmkkviEI8yQSR5JQBUBKqE9IvrEAeiwiRNW556jfed39ZJqL3JRBCiItx2IzHXuFN8/s320/WorkshopOne2011IMG_9038.jpg" style="float: left; height: 175px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; text-align: center; width: 270px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXb12Yzi_od5ZywIBfmkjhiqq0mJ7akfzD8tKzljFu66NHGQFjwpQnd4dTRqJam40NV0m5Won831WDn2VXLhyxMMm0IfG71V0JN5Nqc3_h_3TiJb9t2ODsphUdnRQ04fvFlf8-83QBeis/s1600/WorkshopOne2011IMG_9088.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625299614135217874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXb12Yzi_od5ZywIBfmkjhiqq0mJ7akfzD8tKzljFu66NHGQFjwpQnd4dTRqJam40NV0m5Won831WDn2VXLhyxMMm0IfG71V0JN5Nqc3_h_3TiJb9t2ODsphUdnRQ04fvFlf8-83QBeis/s320/WorkshopOne2011IMG_9088.jpg" style="float: left; height: 178px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; text-align: center; width: 264px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjUtZ2_J0pal4YIWa690KHboIJW0__8sECN4QXY3s_wZda_1E05NbgGw5n5VUBbCY3ogOV6MJEg8fJfjK7EHD1j6LBqRliDF4eg0GySl0j0uEYevVIPOIKW_Uuuh1RJiLpp1kj8i59KM/s1600/WorkshopOne2011IMG_9057.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625299607867816978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjUtZ2_J0pal4YIWa690KHboIJW0__8sECN4QXY3s_wZda_1E05NbgGw5n5VUBbCY3ogOV6MJEg8fJfjK7EHD1j6LBqRliDF4eg0GySl0j0uEYevVIPOIKW_Uuuh1RJiLpp1kj8i59KM/s320/WorkshopOne2011IMG_9057.jpg" style="float: left; height: 179px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; text-align: center; width: 273px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXEE0vzNpJzQyFcT-BJzoMeWu4opqWx1cJ1A4Mg-UOAaBz1oubo2c2fssldfOXoRL4KwE86pWK3nyIQL82MYSasFRu1gj37c8W0BFuPIdmI2uboFy_wvgoeKZytIuCPzZwlmsGR2RWwo/s1600/WorkshopOne2011IMG_9077.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625299609097387122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXEE0vzNpJzQyFcT-BJzoMeWu4opqWx1cJ1A4Mg-UOAaBz1oubo2c2fssldfOXoRL4KwE86pWK3nyIQL82MYSasFRu1gj37c8W0BFuPIdmI2uboFy_wvgoeKZytIuCPzZwlmsGR2RWwo/s320/WorkshopOne2011IMG_9077.jpg" style="float: left; height: 182px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; text-align: center; width: 262px;" /></a>White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-7841891913960265712011-05-31T13:28:00.004+10:002011-05-31T13:31:36.418+10:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3x8W0ap6pzJKB5pGqKZHvKfgbK73rA9JxNkAnPKQjCg9Ov-M-MHKILM1paoTeJnnx0s6MW9z7jEgqlhuzn-ZMlLfgStn7ufrF5aPSBHURsVNosWvLngDG_sIUpXiVd2mtgR2Loeahisc/s1600/Cominos+lawyers.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 30px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612717578693679714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3x8W0ap6pzJKB5pGqKZHvKfgbK73rA9JxNkAnPKQjCg9Ov-M-MHKILM1paoTeJnnx0s6MW9z7jEgqlhuzn-ZMlLfgStn7ufrF5aPSBHURsVNosWvLngDG_sIUpXiVd2mtgR2Loeahisc/s320/Cominos+lawyers.jpg" /></a><br />One of the recurring themes that I, as a legal practitioner, confront when dealing with issues of family and domestic violence in the context of Family Law Matters is the astonishing lack of responsibility and even blatant denial of the violent acts committed by an intimate partner and/or husband in the face of cold hard evidence that shows that the violent acts indeed occurred.<br /><br />The degree and extent of the denial of the violent acts committed vary, depending of course upon the individual perpetrator. It is often the case that excuses are made that somehow diminish or justify the severity of the act, such as, this was a one off event or “she started it”.<br /><br />However there are times when even I, an experienced legal practitioner am genuinely shocked by the absolute denial of any wrongdoing by the perpetrator even when they are locked in their prison cell, charged and convicted of assault on their wife/partner and mother of their children.<br /><br />In a recent case of mine I represented the wife and mother, who had been held a prisoner by her husband for a period of 4 months, whilst he beat and degraded her daily, controlled her every movements and committed unspeakable acts of violence against her in the presence of the four children, ranging in ages from 3 to 7 years.<br />This woman mustered all her courage and one morning whilst her husband was asleep and with the support of her neighbour, managed to escape with her children to the nearest police station. She was covered in bruises from head to toe and needed to spend over a week in hospital to recover. She continues to suffer physical pain from the horrific assault that she endured at the hands of her husband.<br /><br />The matter continues to be in the Family Court of Australia because this father from his prison cell continues to press his application that his 4 children should visit him every alternate weekend as he believes that they are missing him and that their mother is a woman who is alienating the children from him.<br /><br />To make matters worse his mother is supporting his application and believes that her son is an innocent man wrongly accused, even though there is evidence that strongly suggests she was a witness to the crime and complicit with his conduct.<br />It is impossible to see how this attitude supported by an older woman can shift and open the way to change and eliminating violence against women and children.<br />Although this is an extreme case, there are numerous other matters that I have been involved in where time and time again the woman is blamed for the violent actions of their intimate partners and the perpetrator of this behaviour seeks to excuse and justify it.<br /><br />It is my personal view that until such time that individual men take full and complete personal responsibility for their violent and criminal behaviour, without seeking to blame the victim – then, and only then, will change occur and the healing process can begin.<br /><br /><strong>Pamela Cominos is a Sydney – based legal practitioner who practices predominately in Family Law and De Facto litigation.<br /></strong>White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-36365638243494494762011-04-29T14:10:00.006+10:002011-04-29T14:18:50.132+10:00AFL and Victoria Police team up to fight violence against womenLast year Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade, North Melbourne forward Drew Petrie and Melbourne young gun Jack Trengove lent their support to White Ribbon Day by producing a powerful video regarding the issue of violence against women.<br /><br />The trio appear in the six-minute clip with Victoria Police members who reveal shocking statistics on the number of women who are subject to abuse each year.<br /><br />Read more and watch the video here: <a href="http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/105712/default.aspx">http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/105712/default.aspx</a>White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-53168091036217149682011-03-28T17:33:00.005+11:002011-03-28T17:38:52.454+11:00Former Family Services Australia CEO takes top job at White Ribbon28 MARCH 2011 – Former Family Services Australia CEO and former National Director of UnitingCare Australia, Libby Davies, has been appointed as CEO for the White Ribbon Foundation – the only national organisation working to prevent violence against women. Libby will take up her appointment in the Foundation’s Sydney office on 11 April, 2011<br /><br />“Libby brings to the role deep experience across the health and welfare sectors at a national level through leadership of a number of key organisations,” said Andrew O’Keefe, who is Chairman of the Board of the White Ribbon Foundation. “Libby has also made significant contributions to ministerial and sector-wide advisory committees and boards.” <br /><br />As Chief Executive Officer of Family Services Australia from 2001 to 2006, Libby worked closely with 88 member organisations to achieve the highest levels of service delivery across the sector and was an effective conduit to Government on behalf of member organisations. <br /><br />Prior to her role at Family Services Australia, Libby was National Director of UnitingCare Australia, the national peak Uniting Church body on community service matters. In this role she managed the National Secretariat, built the organisation’s profile, lobbied Government and represented Uniting Care Australia in national forums. <br /><br />For the last four years, Libby has worked in a number of advisory, consultancy and interim roles, including Senior Policy Advisor for the Rural Doctors Association of Australia, and Interim Executive Director for Anglicare Australia. <br /><br />"To be joining the Foundation at this time in its history and to share in its ongoing growth is a great privilege,” said Libby Davies. “I look forward to being a part of the dedicated team as we continue to consolidate and progress its vital work." <br /><br />ENDS <br /><br />Media Contacts: <br />Kate Alexander <br />White Ribbon Foundation <br />P: 02 9045 8419 <br />E: kate.alexander@whiteribbon.org.auWhite Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-89556444316293587182011-03-25T10:12:00.007+11:002011-03-25T11:50:18.960+11:00Youth Project Officer from the Islamic Council of Victoria: "We must end violence against women"Together we can create a world that not only treats women as equals, but ensures that they enjoy lives free from oppression, violence and subjugation, writes Mohammed El-leissy, Youth Project Officer at the Islamic Council of Victoria and a member of White Ribbon's National Leadership Group.<br /><br />The world celebrated International Women’s Day on 8 March – an event created exactly 100 years ago to celebrate the economic, social and political achievements of women all across the globe, while also acknowledging there is still noticeable inequality in many parts of daily life.<br /><br />According to the United Nations Development Program, 75% of all women cannot get bank loans because they have unpaid or insecure jobs and lack property ownership rights. Women are also 21% less likely than men to own a mobile phone and therefore to have similar communication possibilities.<br /><br />In Australia this year, 236 events were held to mark this day, right around the country.<br />While things are slowly improving for women, it’s still very far from perfect. One of the greatest moral issues of our time is violence against women. Perpetrated predominately in a domestic setting, it is a social ill that has not escaped any country, culture or social class in the world.<br /><br />In Australia, people of all ages – but especially young people – are coming together to combat this problem.<br /><br />One of the leading organisations working on this issue is the White Ribbon campaign, originally started in Canada in 1991 and now spread across 57 countries.<br /><br />Already the campaign has recruited 1400 Ambassadors and more than 13,000 Australians have sworn never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women. Among the young people on the National Leaders Group, which sets the agenda for the White Ribbon campaign, are Keelia Fitzpatrick, the women’s officer for the National Union of Students, as well as Reece Harley, a member of the Western Australia Youth Advisory Committee.<br /><br />Young people not only have a huge role to play in ending domestic violence against women, but in fact are probably the most important part of the puzzle.<br /><br />Sexist views usually have their roots at a very early age. They might occur in college sports or when people hang with mates make sexist remarks in a joking way. There has been an upsurge in the number of sexist groups people can join on Facebook (with names such as ‘why does a woman need to go to college, you don’t need a degree to make a sandwich’). This creates a sense that not only being denigrating to women is perfectly ok – it’s even humorous.<br /><br />Young people have played a huge role in social change, and while it may be hard for some adults to change their behavior, there is always hope with every new generation.<br />Together we can create a world that not only treats women as equals with men, but ensures that they live a life free from oppression, violence and subjugation!<br /><br />Mohammed's article first appeared on <a href="http://www.yourcommonwealth.org/pacific/correspondence-violence-against-women-is-one-of-our-greatest-moral-issues/">http://www.yourcommonwealth.org/pacific/correspondence-violence-against-women-is-one-of-our-greatest-moral-issues/</a>White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-64527689741305878492011-03-07T14:04:00.009+11:002011-03-08T08:56:04.946+11:00Men’s roles in building a feminist future<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:Calibri;color:#000000;">Dr Michael Flood - Australian sociologist at the University of Wollongong and White Ribbon Campaign Ambassador </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#000000;">Introduction</span></span></strong></span><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span style="color:#000000;">Across the globe, there is growing interest in the question of boys’ and men’s roles in fostering gender equality. And men’s involvement in work towards gender equality is increasingly visible.</span></span><br /><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:130%;color:#000000;"><strong>Why should we involve men in this work?</strong></span><br /><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:Calibri;color:#000000;">There are three broad reasons to involve men in our work towards gender equality</span></p><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>1. Recognition of men as gendered, and increasing focus on gender relations</strong></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">First, just like women, men are gendered. Men’s lives are shaped, as much as women’s, by gender constructions and gender relations. While the word ‘gender’ often is code for women, there is growing recognition that men too are gendered beings who participate in gender relations.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">2. <strong>Recognition of men’s roles in maintaining gender inequality</strong></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Second, men must change if we are to achieve gender equality. Gender injustice is sustained in large part by men’s attitudes and men’s behaviours. Gender inequality often is understood in terms of female disadvantage, but it can equally well be understood in terms of male privilege. Sexual discrimination often is understood in terms of women’s exclusion from economic and political life, but it can equally well be understood in terms of men’s monopoly of economic and political life. For example, when we point out that women represent only 5 per cent of the board members of companies in Australia, it’s just as useful to say that men represent 95 per cent.We know that many men participate in sexist practices and the maintenance of unjust gender relations, men often play a crucial role as ‘gatekeepers’ of the current gender order, and patterns of gender injustice are tied to social constructions of masculinity and male identity.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText">3. <span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Recognition of men’s roles (and stake) in fostering gender equality</strong></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">But work with men has been fuelled also by a third and more hopeful insight: that men have a positive role to play in fostering gender equality. There is growing recognition that gender inequality is an issue of concern to women and men alike and that men have a stake in ending gender inequality. Many men are living already in gender-just ways: they respect and care for the women and girls in their lives, and they reject sexist norms of manhood. Some men already are playing a role in fostering gender equality. Individual men in trade unions and government organisations have been important advocates for women’s rights. Internationally, small numbers of men are engaged in public efforts in support of gender equality, in such fields as violence against women and HIV/AIDS.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#000000;">Why men should promote gender equality</span></span></strong><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">There are two broad answers to the question, ‘Why should men promote gender equality? Why should men change?’ First, men ought to change. Given the fact of men’s unjust privilege, there is an ethical obligation for men to undermine that privilege.</span><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Second, it is in men’s interests to change. Men themselves will benefit from supporting feminism and advancing towards gender equality. There are four clusters of reasons why boys and men may support change towards gender equality and will benefit from it.</span><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><strong><span style="color:#000000;">Personal well-being</span></strong><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">First, men’s own well-being is limited by narrow constructions of gender. Men tend to pay heavy costs — in the form of shallow relationships, poor health, and early death — for conformity with narrow definitions of masculinity.</span><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><strong><span style="color:#000000;">Relational interests</span></strong><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Second, men and boys live in social relationships with women and girls – their wives and partners, sisters, daughters, mothers, aunts, friends and colleagues, neighbours, and so on, and the quality of every man’s life depends to a large extent on the quality of those relationships. For example, I’ve seen men support efforts towards gender equality because of their concerns about and hopes for their daughters and their love for the women in their lives.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><strong><span style="color:#000000;">Collective interests</span></strong><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Third, gender reform benefits the well-being of the communities in which men live. For example, men may recognise that they and their communities benefit from flexibility in divisions of labour, from improvements in women’s health and well-being, and so on.</span><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><strong><span style="color:#000000;">Principle</span></strong><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Finally, boys and men may support gender equality because of their ethical, political, or spiritual commitments – their support for ideals of equality or liberation, their faith-based belief in ideals of compassion and justice, or their sympathy to progressive political values and movements.</span><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#000000;">What men can do</span></span></strong><br /></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">So, what can men do to promote gender equality? <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Individual men can;</span><br /></p><ul><li><div style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Address our own sexist and dominating behaviour: in the bedroom, the kitchen, in the workplace and on the street.</span></div></li><li><div style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Challenge and interrupt sexist remarks, jokes, and stories.</span></div></li><li><div style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Share the domestic labour: do the washing up, vacuum, and clean the bathroom and loo.</span></div></li><li><div style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Listen to women and learn from women. Give time and respect to women’s accounts of their lives and to women’s voices.</span></div></li><li><div style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Don’t fund sexism. Refuse to buy any magazine, rent any film, subscribe to any Web site, or buy any music that portrays girls or women in a sexually degrading or abusive manner.</span></div></li><li><div style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Be a gender-just role model, a mentor, for the boys (and girls) in your life. Talk to and teach boys and young men about healthy relationships.</span></div></li><li><div style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Make your vote count. Vote for candidates and parties committed to gender equality.</span></div></li><li><div style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Educate yourself: Attend programs; take courses, watch films, and read articles and books about gender inequality and feminism.</span></div></li><li><div style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Give your time or your money: volunteer for and donate to organizations working to end violence against women or for gender equality. </span></div></li><li><div style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText" align="left"><span style="color:#000000;">Take collective action.</span></div></li></ul><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText" align="left"><span style="color:#000000;">There are some easy mistakes to make here. </span><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">One is claiming to be free of sexism, to be non-sexist. In this society, all men learn sexist thoughts and behaviours, all of us receive patriarchal privileges whether we want to or not, and all of us are complicit to some degree in sexism. Our task is not to be non-sexist, as this is impossible, but to be anti-sexist. Yes, we can rid ourselves of particular sexist assumptions and stop practising particular sexist behaviours, but in a sexist culture we can never be entirely free of sexism.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Another issue is talking the talk but not walking the walk. There is sometimes a gap between our political aspirations and our personal practices. Perhaps this is inevitable. Personal change is partial and uneven, and our personal lives are messy and complex. Still, men have a responsibility to shift our practice, not just our rhetoric.</span><br /></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Another mistake is out-feministing feminists. Some men use their knowledge of feminism to do power to women: claiming to be better feminists than women, playing off one feminist against another, or taking over feminist spaces.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Making the changes I’ve described, and avoiding these mistakes, is a project of personal transformation. And this work is much more possible if men take the further step of involving themselves in collective action.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Men will only begin to make a difference to systematic patterns of gender inequality if we join each other, taking collective action for gender justice. As that bumper sticker says, “Don’t Agonise, Organise!”</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Men must mobilise, creating men’s groups and networks dedicated to building gender equality.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;"></span> </p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">There are other, local strategies which men can adopt.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">I’ve written elsewhere of how best to educate men about gender issues. But I want to stress that we must use engaging and innovative techniques to foster men’s support for and commitment to gender equality. These might include exercises in gender reversal or ‘walking in women’s shoes’, listening directly to women’s experiences, local stories and examples, personalising women’s suffering, making comparisons with other forms of inequality, drawing on culturally appropriate texts and stories in critiquing gender inequality such as religious texts, local myths and fables, and, on the other hand, using the language of human rights, fairness, justice, and so on.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Another strategy is grassroots groups and action: organising local groups of men, in school or university, at a workplace, or among a circle of friends, to work against sexism and violence against women. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Another strategy is peer education. There’s growing interest in recruiting and training men as peer educators, educating other men on issues of violence against women for example in rugby league and AFL.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Women and women’s organisations may want to find male allies and supporters. Some women’s groups engage with existing men’s groups. Mainstream men’s organisations – Rotary and Lions clubs, trade unions, sports clubs, and other male-dominated organisations and contexts – can be just as promising as sources of support.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Achieving progress towards gender equality requires that we go beyond working with men as isolated individuals and work towards broader forms of social and political change in the communities in which they live. We must organise and foster grassroots men’s groups and networks committed to advocacy for gender equality. At the broadest level, involving men and boys in work towards gender equality involves ‘gender mainstreaming’, the integration of gender issues and feminist agendas into the policy and programming of governments, businesses, and so on.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">The bottom line is that we will not progress much towards gender equality without support, and change, among men themselves. I hope that you will join me in inviting men into this project.</span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#000000;">Online resources on men’s roles in building gender equality<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><strong><span style="color:#000000;">Readings on men and gender issues<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">XYonline is a website on men and gender issues, at <a href="http://www.xyonline.net/">http://www.xyonline.net/</a></span><span style="color:#000000;">. It includes a substantial collection of over 100 accessible articles on men, gender, masculinity, and sexuality, here: <a href="http://www.xyonline.net/articles">http://www.xyonline.net/articles</a></span><span style="color:#000000;">. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">See e.g. the articles on men’s work in helping to stop violence against women, here: <a href="http://www.xyonline.net/category/article-content/violence">http://www.xyonline.net/category/article-content/violence</a> </span><span style="color:#000000;"></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">And critiques of ‘fathers’ rights’ and ‘men’s rights’ claims about family law, violence, custody, etc., here: </span><span style="color:#000000;"><a href="http://www.xyonline.net/category/article-content/violence">http://www.xyonline.net/category/article-content/violence</a> </span><span style="color:#000000;"></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">And here: <a href="http://www.xyonline.net/category/article-content/mens-fathers-rights">http://www.xyonline.net/category/article-content/mens-fathers-rights</a> </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">And general articles on men and gender issues, here: <a href="http://www.xyonline.net/category/article-content/activism-politics">http://www.xyonline.net/category/article-content/activism-politics</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Web sites on men and gender<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">XYonline also includes a substantial collection of links to other websites on men and masculinities, here: <a href="http://www.xyonline.net/links">http://www.xyonline.net/links</a> </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">See e.g. the collection of links on involving men in building gender equality, here: <a href="http://www.xyonline.net/links#a1">http://www.xyonline.net/links#a1</a> </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">And the links on men’s anti-violence work, here: <a href="http://www.xyonline.net/links#a2">http://www.xyonline.net/links#a2</a> </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">The Men’s Bibliography: academic scholarship<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">A comprehensive bibliography of academic writing on men, masculinities, gender, and sexualities, listing over 22,000 works. It is free at: <a href="http://mensbiblio.xyonline.net/">http://mensbiblio.xyonline.net/</a></span><span style="color:#000000;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">This includes for example;<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">The best reading on men and masculinities: </span><span style="color:#000000;"></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;"><a href="http://mensbiblio.xyonline.net/bestreading.html#Heading1">http://mensbiblio.xyonline.net/bestreading.html#Heading1</a> </span><span style="color:#000000;"></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;">Articles and books on men, gender and feminism: </span><span style="color:#000000;"><a href="http://mensbiblio.xyonline.net/menfeminism.html#Heading1">http://mensbiblio.xyonline.net/menfeminism.html#Heading1</a> </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoPlainText"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-: minor-bidifont-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:11;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Academic references on men’s anti-violence work:</span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://mensbiblio.xyonline.net/violence2.html#Antiviolenceactivism">http://mensbiblio.xyonline.net/violence2.html#Antiviolenceactivism</a> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2725345881086260827.post-1253443690072763032011-03-03T08:47:00.003+11:002011-03-03T09:11:27.256+11:00Why the new 'porn norm' is hurting women - The Sydney Morning HeraldWe read <a href="http://www.nationaltimes.com.au/opinion/why-the-new-porn-norm-is-hurting-women-20110302-1be54.html">this article</a> today and wanted to know your thoughts on the issue?<br /><br />The author notes that: "Recent research shows that acts of aggression against women are a commonplace – indeed expected – part of the porn narrative...The research found that physical aggression was present in 88 per cent of scenes. Of these, there was an average of 12 aggressive acts per scene. In addition, name-calling occurred in about half of all scenes."<br /><br />What effect do these films have on viewers? Are films such as these desensitising us to the issue of sexual violence?<br /><br />Read <a href="http://www.nationaltimes.com.au/opinion/why-the-new-porn-norm-is-hurting-women-20110302-1be54.html">the article</a> and let us know what you think.<br /><br />If you or someone you know are experiencing violence and need help or support, please contact one of the support services listed on <a href="http://www.whiteribbonday.org.au/Where-To-Turn-31.aspx">our website.</a><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span><span style="color:#000000;"><br /><br /></span>White Ribbon Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04402825228143990537noreply@blogger.com0