White ribbons for Mayo men

White Ribbons show men’s solidarity with women’s campaign


Aine Ryan

WEARING a White Ribbon may not be a typical accessory for the Men of Mayo, but that is what they have been asked to do to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the ensuing 16 days of action. Tomorrow morning, James Horan, Mayo GAA team Manager, will take the lead as he launches the White Ribbon Campaign at 11am in the  Royal Theatre, Castlebar.
Later in the week Westport Family and Community Resource Centre will launch its campaign, with a number of speakers, in the Wyatt Hotel, at noon on Thursday next, November 25.
“To get the message out that violence against women is wrong we are inviting the men and the women of Westport to come together to support these two campaigns,” the invitation states.
Mayo Rape Crisis Centre and Mayo Women’s Support Services, along with various centres around the county, are co-ordinating and running the various initiatives to highlight the serious social problem. 
The White Ribbon Campaign developed from men’s response to violence against women in Canada. This is just one of a number of events to mark the United Nations internationally recognised day, November 25, which also starts off 16 Days of Action devoted to highlighting this issue that remains endemic to society and leaves one-in-three women worldwide facing abuse, violence and rape every day.
Here in Ireland, according to Women’s Aid, one-in-five women are still affected by domestic violence, with an estimated 213,000 women living with severe abuse from their boyfriends, husbands and partners.
The need for men’s inclusion and proactive involvement in these campaigns is explained by Alan O’Neill, Director of the Men’s Development Network.
He said: “In our experience, men do not address the issue of violence against women for fear of being identified as perpetrators themselves or for fear of saying the wrong thing. Also, men have been excluded to date from the work to end violence against women for very practical reasons – as in the large majority of gender-based violence, the perpetrators are men. While we can never forget that some men are the problem, we must also recognise that all men can be part of the solution.”
Now, the Mayo White Ribbon Campaign is calling on men to simply wear the ribbon to show they say ‘no’ to violence against women; to sign up on the website whiteribbon.ie to express their solidarity and, finally but most importantly, to speak out about violence against women.
In another initiative, Ballina Family Resource Centre has invited the general public to the launch of its 16 Days of Action Opposing Violence Against Women to be held on Friday next, November 26, at 10.30am.
Further information: Mayo Rape Crisis Centre, 094 90 25657; Mayo Women’s Support Services, 094 90 27519; Westport Family Resource Centre, 098 24419; Ballina Family Resource Centre, 096 75573.