In the lead up to White Ribbon Day, it’s important to recognise the active role we should all play in eradicating violence against women. “Every person deserves to feel safe in their community, at work and especially in their own home,” ~ see below to read more from Samaritans CEO, Peter Gardiner.
This week marks a very important occasion – White Ribbon Day. On November 25 we will stand together to show our support to end men’s violence against women.
As a father I am particularly passionate about promoting the right for all women to live free from fear of violence. Every person deserves to feel safe in their community, at work and especially in their own home.
One in three women have experienced men’s violence in their lifetime and one in four children are exposed to domestic violence. I struggle to comprehend these statistics and how our nation, so progressive in education and resources, is plagued by such unacceptable behaviour. It is simply not good enough.
We all have a part to play in eradicating men’s violence against women. I have taken the White Ribbon oath, a pledge to stand up, speak out and act to prevent men’s violence against women. I encourage you to do the same. You might also like to consider becoming a White Ribbon advocate or ambassador.
As an organisation I am proud that Samaritans has taken active steps to stop violence against women. We have built on our existing gender equality and diversity initiatives to strengthen a culture of respect and gender equality at all levels of the organisation. Our policies and training support all employees to challenge inappropriate behaviour, seek support and to recognise the vital role they can play in preventing violence against women. I encourage other workplaces to do the same and respond to the severity and gravity of this intolerable issue.
Samaritans offers a range of domestic violence support services including refuges in Kempsey and Taree, click here for more information. We are also working on an exciting new project which will see the development of a domestic violence resource app for young people. For immediate support please contact the Domestic Violence Hotline on 1800 737 732.
