Mr. Allan Ball, our National Director, emphasized that “the underlying causes of men’s violence towards women are well-known, making the recent events even more distressing”.
He expressed concern “that men are often excluded from the conversation when it comes to proposing solutions to prevent such violence, which he views as a national shame”.
White Ribbon Australia recognizes that men can be powerful allies in this effort, and as part of our rollout of 10 community action groups across the country, we are testing a 4 P approach to primary prevention:
1. Place-based
2. Peer to peer
3. Pragmatic
4. Persistence
We understand that communities hold valuable solutions, and it is essential to meet men where they are and offer practical and repeated strategies.
In South Australia, after two years of community capacity building with male leaders and our Community Capacity Building Partner, we successfully co-designed solutions based on the 4 P’s.
Thousands of men came together across two weekends of football, facilitated by free haircuts offered by barbers and the distribution of White Ribbon Australia Barbershop resources.
Male community leaders demonstrated respectful conversations both on and off the field, setting an example for all grades of football players. This collective effort demonstrated that when we work at the grassroots level, we uncover unconventional yet effective solutions, leading to significant shifts in attitudes.
Mr Ball adds “Community standards have shifted, there is an expectation that men are part of the solution and men want to be part of the solution” Mr Ball adds “when we work at the grassroots level we uncover unconvential solutions to a longstanding problem and attitudes literally shift before your eyes”.
White Ribbon Australia urges immediate action for a national men’s roundtable to elevate the place-based, peer-to-peer, pragmatic, and persistent approach to men’s leadership in addressing this issue.
We firmly believe that it is ultimately up to men to prevent men’s violence against women. The community solidarity witnessed in South Australia is just one example of the positive outcomes that can be achieved with the right approach.
We are committed to this national ask and continue to advocate for men’s involvement in creating safer environments for women across the country.
Watch this space as we push for a collective effort to bring about lasting change.
