September 10, 1991

the Other Press

White Ribbon Campaign
Seeks to Educate Men

 

by Gord Belec

 

The White Ribbon Campaign
(WRC), is taking steps to initialize
awareness of the violence against
women, and some members of the
Other Press have taken action to
organize a campaign on campus.

The WRO was originally
created to remember the Lepine
massacre where-14- women were
slaughtered at the Universite de
Montreal on December 6, 1989.

anizers have since

fad
expanded themeaning of the white

ribbons to represent men working
together to end violence against
women. “The White Ribbon
Campaign was set to acknowledge
the war on women, and by
acknowledging the problem and
surrendering to the war, we are able
to quit contributing to the violence,”
states Angus Adair, one of the
organizers of the campaign.

“I believe its encouraging,” says
Chris MacLaren, co-organizer, “and
ifnothing else,a positivestep forward
towards awareness and possibly
understanding mens violenceagainst
women.”

“The Campaign is a radical

change in format with the white
ribbon, which is distinct from
anything else,” comments Angus
Adair, “there’s a distinct symbolism
involved.”

“Its a first step for men to
recognizeandacknowledgethat there
is this problem [violence against
wate but they have to do more
throughout the year to educate
themselves,” states Angela
Chiotakos, “its got to be more thana
6 day affair.”

Males of all ages can wear a
white ribbon from December 1st to
the 6th, and are available at the Other
Press office in room 1020.

 

Some Facts on Violence
Against Women

1.Every 17 minutesasexualassault
is committed in Canada, and 90%
of the victims are female.

2.60% of collegeaged males report
that under the epeicrcumy stances
they would use , rape, orboth
in sexual relations with a woman.
3.AWi study of 551 women
found that 27% had been raped or
sexually assaulted in their lifetime.
Nearly 70% of the women knew
their attackers. And 87% did not
report the assault to the police.

4. Rates of violence against
particular groups of women,
including women with disabilities
and Aboriginal women, are

consistently higher.

5. Research has found that half of -
sexually assaulted womenare under
17.

TEN IMMEDIATE THINGS YOU
CAN DO TO STOP THE
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

1. Wear a White Ribbon from
December Ist to December 6th.

2. Get your male friends to wear a
White Ribbon.

3. Object to any sexually demeaning
pictures of womenin the workplace.
4. Challengejokesandsexistlanguage
thatimply violence towards, or abuse
of, women.

5. Examine how your own behavior
might contribute to the problem.

6. Contribute to your local shelter for
battered women, rape crisis centre,
or other women’s programs.

7. Ask your sports club, company,
union, school, bisiness associates, or
place of worship to start a White
Ribbon Committee.

8. Join others in your community to
insist that police lay charges in all
cases of wife assault.

9. Write tothe media or toadvertisers
to object to demeaning images of
women.

10. Make a small donation to the
White Ribbon Campaign.

MEN WORKING TO END

MEN'S VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

 

GET INVOLVED.

Women everywhere in Canada live in
fear of violence. The White Ribbon Cam-
paign is an effort by men to break the
silence on this issue, and make a differ-
ence. By wearing a White Ribbon
December 1 to 6, leading up to the com-
memoration of the Montreal Massacre,

worship or
community.

we help focus the reflection,

discussion and commitment

which can lead men to

join women in taking respon-

sibility for ending men’s
violence against women.

GET INVOLVED.
1-800-263-6276

IN TORONTO

416-596-1513

The White Ribbon campaign needs
your financial support, and invites you
to help start a White Ribbon Committee
in your workplace,
school, place of

 

WHITE RIBBON
CAMPAIGN