THE MEN IN OUR LIVES
CANADA'S WHITE RIBBON CAMPAIGN

On  December 6, 1989 14 women were murdered by a lone gunman at the Ecole Polytechnique at the University of Montreal. In 1991, Canadian men formed the white ribbon campaign - which has now become the international sign of no-violence against women - the Canadian men of 1991 felt that women alone should not carry the burden of  the violence and crimes committed against them by men.

The goal, Jack Layton of the white ribbon campaign said in 1998 was to significantly reduce violence against women over the next 10 years. The members of the group also have a program to visit schools and they carry out fund raising activities for women's groups and shelters. Members of the White Ribbon Campaign say: "If it were between countries, we'd call it  a war. If it were a disease we'd call it an epidemic. If it were an oil spill, we'd call it a disaster. But it's happening to women, and it's just an everyday affair. It is violence against women. It is rape at home and on dates. It is the beating of the blow that one out of four Canadian women receive in their lifetime. It is sexual harassment at work and sexual abuse of the young. It is murder "

There's no secret enemy pulling the trigger. No unseen virus that leads to death. It's just men. men from all social backgrounds and of all colours and ages. Men in business suits and men in blue collars. Men who plant the fields and men who sell furnit ure. Not wierdos. Just regular guys." A 1993 Statistics Canada report indicates that men are responsible for 98% of sexual aggression. One woman out of three has been a victim of criminal violence from  her male partner. Sexual aggression is committed every seven minutes and 90% of victims are women. The White Ribbon believes that it is society's attitudes toward women modelled by cultural influences that are at the root of the problem. The White Ribbon campaign believes that men by breaking the silence surrounding violence to women by examining themselves and the causes of violent behaviour and by educating children now can change negative attitudes and make a difference.

The White Ribbon campaign is the largest effort in the world by men working to end violence against women. The white ribbon, according to founder Mike Kauffman, is not a suggestion that men are bad or naturally violent against women - "to the contrary, the ribbon is a symbol of men's ability to care and speak out against violence."

For more information on the White Ribbon campaign call (091)(416)596-1513 or www.whiteribbon.ca

© Speak Out Terms of use