We all have a role in ending men's violence towards women
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Dear White Ribbon Supporter
The months are passing quickly and it will be November before you know it! We are busy putting our plans into action and ensuring this year's campaign is as effective as ever. A major part of this is preparing and utilising our Ambassadors so that they are equipped to speak with confidence and conviction to demonstrate how men are part of the solution. This edition of our newsletter focuses heavily on our Ambassadors; showcasing another new team member and reflecting on the inspirational work that they do.
What are the key messages of this year's Campaign?
Over the years, the White Ribbon Campaign has evolved from raising awareness to now focusing on changing men’s behaviour by targeting social norms. Social norms are rules of behaviour that are considered acceptable in a group or society. Just because these social norms exist, does not make them right. For example, some men still consider it OK to use violence, physical or psychological, to control a woman.
It's not all bad news though - social norms can be changed or modified over time and this is where White Ribbon and you, as a campaign supporter, can help make this change. By more men promoting and role modeling respectful relationships, we are creating a new social norm. We want future generations to reject the idea of men's violence towards women.
So what is a 'respectful relationship' and how does this stop violence? There are no hard and fast rules but some key factors are partners valuing each other's opinions and viewpoints, a sharing of household duties, joint decision making around key topics such as finances and child-raising, looking after and supporting each other during difficult times. A lot of these examples demonstrate equality and flexible gender behaviour and we are getting better at this. With positive role modelling of these qualities, our children grow up understanding that this is the way things should be, thus the social norm is changed.
We will continue to use this approach to strengthen our campaign and focus on building the critical mass we need to tip the balance. We need more Ambassadors, volunteers, Riders, events and supporters than ever to speak out, use our resources and demonstrate through their actions what 'respect' actually means.
This is just one example of our Ambassadors at work. Richie Hardcore visited Wellesley College in Wellington. As part of our aim to educate the younger generation, he facilitated a frank and open discussion with a group of young boys around the theme of ‘What it means to be a good man’.
Part of the conversation was about the portrayal of woman in society. Although Richie did not discuss pornography directly, the subject did come up in a chat between the boys and their teacher after Richie had left.
Even though these boys were only 10 and 11 years of age, most of the boys had experiences to share as a result of accessing inappropriate material on the internet, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Thank you to Tony Orbell
Year 6 Teacher, Wellesley College, Wellington
Ambassadors in Action
How many of us as parents have avoided this discussion because it is too awkward and embarrassing?
Yet, the frightening truth is that unless a respectful male role-model is talking to our boys, they are going to seek out knowledge and be influenced by the media, pornography or their peers.
We know only too well what ill-informed messages are transferred through these channels, where women are disrespected and violence towards women is acceptable.
With the ease of access to technology, we need to do all we can to educate the younger generation about respect and how this translates into all areas of life.
Here are a few comments from the boys that participated:
"We learned that men should be allowed to be like women and they don't have to be tough and have tattoos to be a man..."
"Women should have a chance to be like men and that it is not okay for domestic violence at home."
"It is best to express your feelings and it’s OK for boys to show and talk about emotions."
Children are never too young or old to have these discussions with. Obviously tailor the key messages to the specific age group, but make sure you are the one having the conversation - don't leave it up to someone, or something, else to.
For more information about how you can talk to your children and influence our youth, check out the White Ribbon Tool Boxes. Click on the link below.
For the campaign to be successful, men must be seen to lead and actively support the kaupapa. Ambassadors play a vital role in building support, visibility and developing a shared understanding of the campaign within their social groups, workplaces and communities. Our Ambassadors embody the principles of the campaign. They are chosen for their willingness to challenge the behaviour of abusive men, and to convey key messages directly to their own communities. Find out what we are doing to support our Ambassadors that carry out this vital work or nominate a man in your community as an Ambassador.
Regional Meetings
Regional meetings are currently being organised throughout New Zealand. The first took place on Wednesday, 16th August at the Walter Nash Centre in Lower Hutt, Wellington with meetings in Napier and Auckland following in quick succession.
These meetings have given our Ambassadors the opportunity to network, share ideas, collaborate and plan for the future. These events are the first of their kind and aim to build on the strength of the Ambassador Project.
E-training Course
We are grateful to receive nominations for wonderful men that the public feel should front our campaign as White Ribbon Ambassadors. With each new intake of Ambassadors, we need to ensure that they are well-informed and comfortable with the subject matter. This year the campaign will continue to focus on Respectful Relationships and Respectful Sexual Relationships.
We have implemented a new e-training course that our new Ambassadors are currently working through. Having listened to their feedback we are now rolling it out to all our Ambassadors to ensure they are well-equipped for this year's campaign.
Ambassador Nominations
With over 100 Ambassadors throughout the country, we feel in a privileged position. However, there are some geographical regions where more Ambassadors are required, namely Christchurch, xxx.
If you know of a well respected and influential male role model in your workplace, business, faith, cultural or sporting groups or wider communities, please let us know or click here to nominate someone.
We are continuing to showcase one of our new Ambassadors each newsletter. This month we would like to introduce you to:
Akerei (Rei) Maresala-Thomson
Rei is the General Manager of the Village Collective, Manukau, South Auckland, having left the Police where he was a senior sergeant. His role is to promote healthy relationships with a focus on youth from primary schools to high schools. Within this role, Rei talks openly to youths about sexual relationships and runs workshops on building confidence and remaining true to oneself.
Rei is a very active Ambassador, recently being invited to speak at the 22nd International Summit on Violence Abuse and Trauma run by IVAT. He has also had a Stuff article written about the development of a social services app that is saving lives and providing help.
Youth Ambassadors
Led by the Salvation Army in Counties Manukau, 26 Youth Ambassadors were trained and inducted. A massive thank you to all the young men and women involved, and also to the staff that trained them including White Ribbon Trust Chair and Ambassador Ric Odom. The Youth Ambassador Project will now be rolled out throughout New Zealand. If you would like to be involved or lead this in a region, please contact White Ribbon.
If you have been part of the Ride before, you will already be aware of the impact and excitement the Riders create as they roar into your town. If you haven't experienced this, you have missed out! The Riders deliver the respectful relationships campaign in a manner that is relevant to each of their audiences. From prisoners through to parents and school kids, the Ride visited over 80 communities last year.
The three main Rides this year cover the Hauraki Region, the Lower North Island and The South Island. This year there will also be an Auckland Ride travelling to some of the larger events in the city.
If you have yet to make contact with us about the White Ribbon Ride visiting your town, please contact us as soon as possible at ride@whiteribbon.org.nz as the ride events are filling up fast. Jocelyn and Andrea are working on the ride events and can be contacted at the ride email address.
If you are part of a support service in your area or a keen advocate, make sure your community has sent in a Registration of Interest form. Please don't assume someone has made contact already - get in touch with us now and check.
Three of our Ambassadors represented White Ribbon at the Gathering of the 3000 held in Porirua.
The aim of the event was to inspire, equip, and connect Pacific men so that some of the challenges Pacific communities face can be addressed and a movement of change initiated. There were many high-profile keynote speakers, such as David Tua, Sir Michael Jones and Chris Te'o who all spoke bravely about their personal struggles and raised the issue of domestic violence.
Alongside our wonderful Ambassadors, we also hosted a stand which provided us with the opportunity to speak to a number of men about the principles behind White Ribbon.
Calling all you wonderful volunteers out there.
We have had a wonderful response to our recent request for volunteers - thank you for your support. We have identified Lead Volunteers in the following areas:
Auckland, Christchurch, Masterton, Palmerston North and Whangaparaoa.
But obviously, we need more communities represented. If your town is not listed here, we need your help!
Even if your town is listed above, we still need volunteers to support the Lead Volunteer. Please consider getting involved. We will not make impossible demands on your time as we appreciate how busy life is. You can choose how much or how little you wish to become involved. Click on the link above to find out more.
Want to get more bang for your buck?
This is a perfect way to get more value for your money. You might not be aware that White Ribbon raises funds through our supporters purchasing Entertainment Membership. This is a guide to the most popular restaurants, attractions, shopping, travel and more, all with valuable offers such as 50% off and 2-for-1 deals. If you haven’t got your 2017/2018 membership already, click on the button below to find out more.
Click on the graphic to view the previous newsletter.
