White Ribbon Campaign Gives Men Voice In Opposing
Violence Against Women
Published: Tuesday, January 23, 2007
By
Sam Hemingway
Burlington Free Press Staff Writer
A new group
opposed to violence against women has sprung up in Burlington, but this
one is different from the others: You have to be a man to be a member.
"We
men need to hold each other accountable for violence against women,"
said Ron Redmond, the group's prime organizer and director of the Church
Street Marketplace Commission. "This is something we can do."
Formed
in late December, the White Ribbon Campaign has attracted more than 300
members who have paid $10 in return for a white ribbon they can wear on
jackets or coats. The ribbon signifies they are committed to stand up
against violence toward women and have spoken to at least one other man
or boy about preventing it from occurring.
Redmond said the
campaign is a way for men on their own to become more active in
confronting violence against women. The campaign is a spin-off of a
Canadian group of the same name that was formed in 1991 several years
after a gunman killed 14 female students at the University of Montreal.
That group boasts 100,000 members, all men.
Redmond said the
alleged rape and killings of University of Vermont student Michelle
Gardner-Quinn in October and city resident Laura Winterbottom in 2005
were the impetus for starting Burlington's White Ribbon Campaign
offshoot.
In both crimes, police say the women were victimized
by men they didn't know. The suspects, Brian Rooney in the Gardner-Quinn
case and Gerald Montgomery in the Winterbottom case, are awaiting trial
on murder charges.
"Both were like a punch in the gut," Redmond
said of his reaction upon learning of the crimes. "I remember feeling
so helpless. I felt like this is really not OK. This is our community.
This is where we live. This is where we work."
Among the men who
have joined the group to date are businessmen, lawyers, legislators,
police officers, clergymen and public figures ranging from Mayor Bob
Kiss to former UVM basketball coach and media personality Tom Brennan.
"I
have a wife and two daughters," said Mark Schroeter, an assistant field
service director for the local Human Services Agency office and White
Ribbon member. "I hate having to tell them that nothing good's going to
happen to you on the streets in Burlington after midnight."
Redmond said Schroeter came up with the idea of starting a White Ribbon Campaign in the city during a meeting of the Church Street Outreach Advisory Committee late last year. The panel meets periodically to address issues involving homeless people and other concerns.
Redmond
mentioned to Schroeter that he was looking for ways men like him could
become more vocal about opposing violence against women following a
discussion with UVM Police Chief Gary Margolis after the Gardner-Quinn
homicide.
"I was telling him that there needed to be ways for
women to protect themselves better," Redmond said. "Gary said to me
'Ron, you're missing the point. That's just another form of blaming the
victim. Men are part of the problem and part of the solution.'"
Redmond said the White Ribbon Campaign is appealing to men because it is simple and straightforward.
The ribbon itself is hardly a fashion
statement, just a four-inch strand of ribbon folded over in the shape of
an upside down "V." Redmond said he's heard of men affixing the ribbon
to their clothing with a stapler or, at least one case, duct tape.
"Every
man you talk to, no matter what socio-economic level they are at, this
resonates with them," he said. "This is not about taking on a political
cause or anything else. It's just about opposing violence against
women."
Redmond said a few women have approached him asking if they can join. Once the group's aims have been explained to them, he said they decided to send in a $10 donation anyway.
He said he has no wish to be the group's leader. The campaign will cease selling the ribbons at the end of January then use the e-mail list of members that will be generated to begin a conversation about what else it can do.
All of the money raised by the White Ribbon Campaign will be
given to four local groups, Women's Rape Crisis Center, Women Helping
Battered Women, SafeSpace and the UVM Women's Center.
Contact Sam
Hemingway at 660-1850 or e-mail at shemingway@bfp.burlingtonfreepress
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Statement of Support for Proposed St. Johnsbury shelter
February 17, 2008
The White Ribbon Campaign of
Vermont, men working to end violence against women, joins with our
brother members of the Northeast Kingdom White Ribbon Campaign in
expressing its disappointment that The Caledonian-Record has chosen to
use misinformation and fear in opposing the creation of a shelter in the
St. Johnsbury area for battered women and their children. We are strong
supporters of Umbrella and its efforts to support and shelter women and
children in Caledonia County. In fact, we fully support all the
agencies around the state that are members of the Vermont Network
Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. All have worked for decades in
both intervention against, and prevention of, violence against women.
Their programs have helped tens of thousands of women and children
escape and survive violent and abusive men. Their work in outreach
education in Vermont schools shares important information about
bullying, dating and domestic abuse, as well as sexual assault and rape
to middle and high school boys and girls throughout Vermont. This helps
young people recognize the early signs of violence and abuse, and
encourages them to develop healthy relationships. We must be mindful
that there are some women, in seeking to escape from abusive
relationships, who do not have any other place to go. Physical shelters
are the answer for many of these women and children. The White Ribbon
Campaign of Vermont knows that these shelters are havens of safety,
support, and significant assistance to women and children in finding new
directions for their lives. As Vermont men, we are hopeful and
confident the people of Caledonia County will welcome this shelter with
open arms and understanding, and in recognition that this is a part of
building non-violent, healthy neighborhoods for our sons and daughters.
On behalf of the White Ribbon Campaign of Vermont
Ron
Redmond & Stephen McArthur, Co-Chairs
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Brooke
Bennett: "Never Again” - How Men Can Make it Come True
July
9, 2008
The White Ribbon Campaign of Vermont joins with
other Vermonters in expressing our grief over the death of Brooke
Bennett. Her death is a call to action to Vermont men for greater
involvement in ending men's violence against women and girls. As the
pastor at Brooke Bennett’s memorial service said, “Never again.” It’s
time to work together to realize that goal.
For too
long, the burden of responsibility for men’s violence against women has
been disproportionately placed on girls and women. From an early age,
girls are taught they must protect themselves and not make the wrong
choices. For decades, women have created and run the hotlines and
shelters seeking help in response to men’s violence. Girls and women
continue to be sexually assaulted and physically and emotionally abused
by men. While we need to examine state laws and policies, we also need
to look beyond punishment and deterrence to prevention. Men are
responsible for the majority of sexual assaults and domestic violence in
our state (based on statewide sexual and domestic violence statistics),
and men need to be a major part of the solution to end it.
Most
men are not violent. But most men are silent about men’s violence
against women. It’s not that we don’t care about our wives, mothers,
daughters, and sisters. We do. But we need to take an active, vocal and
constructive role in teaching our sons, at an early age, to respect
girls and women and that anything short of that is unacceptable. Here’s
how to get started.
First, make a personal pledge never
to commit, condone, or remain silent about violence against women.
Second, talk to at least one other man or boy about your
pledge. Recruit them as allies in ending violence against women. The
next time you are with a group of men and someone tells a dirty or
sexist joke about “girls,” say something: I don’t like hearing that.
That joke could be about my daughter, my mother, my sister, or my wife.
Third, become an ally with your local schools. Make it clear to
teachers, coaches, principals, and others that as men, as fathers, you
believe sexual and domestic violence prevention needs to be part of
student education and professional training. For instance, what is the
Vermont consent law? What are the effects of domestic violence on teens
and children? What does an abusive teen dating relationship look like?
Form a group and go to school officials and let them know you support
these efforts. Tell them about your commitment as a parent to talk about
these issues. Addressing the culture of violence now is the single best
thing our community can do to create the generational change that is
needed to end violent behavior against women and girls.
There
are many other things men can do. Our website (www.whiteribbonvt.org) has a
list of simple action items. Support local shelters and hotlines (www.vtnetwork.org). Make it clear
that girls and women are not sexual objects. Reject degrading and
repressive images and messages in the media, on television, in video
games, and in the movies. Men can be substantial agents for change if we
stop being reactive, and come together to sustain our united voice
against men’s violence against women.
Finally, a word
about language: In covering the Brooke Bennett murder, some media have
described adult men as “having sex” or “sexual relations” with girls. It
is neither. It is “rape.” It is “child sexual abuse.” Let’s call it
what it is. And let’s end it now and forever.
Stephen
McArthur & Ron Redmond , Co-Chairs, White Ribbon Campaign of Vermont
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Letter
to Burton Snowboards
October 30, 2008
Dear
Burton Snowboards:
The White Ribbon Campaign of Vermont
is a group of men around the state working to end violence against
women. We are writing to protest Burton’s new line of snowboards called
“Love.”
The images you are exploiting and the language
you are using in promoting this product perpetuate the sexual
denigration and objectification of women and women’s bodies, and
contribute directly to violence against women. At a time when our
families, our communities, our schools and colleges are working to end
sexual and domestic violence, it is irresponsible for Burton Snowboards
to promote a product so disrespectful to women. As men we feel
disrespected, too.
It is astonishing you would choose
to use images of nude women for young men to stand on, and then describe
this snowboard in terms that are, simply put, crude. The ad copy opens
with “I am on the market…” suggesting that the women you depict are for
sale. The image of young men standing on a naked woman lying back on
the board or showing her nude bottom and being told they will “score
serious action, no matter where they stick it” is simply pornography
disguised as ad copy. But your product description doesn’t stop there.
It gets worse. “…long, hard grinds on my meaty Park Edges followed by a
good, hot waxing.” This snowboard invites young men to hit it “from
the front or the back” and to “like it kinky.” All this is described
in the context of young men “riding” these nude images on the boards.
That you have called this board “Love” is nothing short of perverse.
What could this have to do with love?
Imagine a father
helping his 12-year old daughter to learn snowboarding and seeing a
young man “riding” one of these boards. What can he possibly say to her
that responds to this product in any way that would model healthy
behavior?
We urge Burton to discontinue this line
immediately. In addition, we urge that corporate leadership at Burton
meet with women and men in Vermont who are working to end violence
against women and children. There is much that enlightened businesses
can do to help end this violence, starting right in their own backyards.
We hope you will want to help in this effort.
We value
companies like Burton because of your successful history of producing a
great product for a healthy and fun sport. But we can’t believe that
Burton really wants to project this sexually degrading image into our
communities, much less into the attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of
young men. Your brand, and our sons and daughters, deserve better than
this. Please help us in the effort to end the myriad ways in which our
culture contributes to unhealthy attitudes and behaviors in young men.
If
you want to learn more, we recommend visiting the website of the
Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (www.vtnetwork.org). Thank you for
your serious consideration. We look forward to hearing from you. We can
be reached at info@whiteribbonvt.org.
Rev. Will Burhans, Stephen McArthur, Werner Heidemann, Ron
Redmond, Rene Kaczka-Valliere, Tim Volk, Greg MacDonald, Sam Silverman