UA Men Take A Stand Against Violence with White Ribbon Pledge

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama’s Men Against Violence group asks all men on campus to join more than 150 students, faculty and staff at UA who have already taken a public stand against violence by signing the White Ribbon Campaign pledge and to wear a white ribbon during the week of Jan. 23-27 as a vow never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women.

The White Ribbon Campaign began in Canada in 1991 to complement the work done by women to raise awareness about ending violence. Today it has become the largest international effort of men working to end men’s violence against women.

“When the painful issue of violence against women comes up, many people would rather ignore it or act as if it does not exist,” said MAV member Benjamin Jordan, a freshman majoring in political science. “The only way for this violence to stop is for people to talk about it and educate ourselves. Wearing a ribbon is a small step men can take to start that process.”

In addition to wearing ribbons, faculty, staff, and fraternity participants will also display large ribbons on their office doors and/or fraternity houses. Any man who would like to participate can pick up a ribbon from the MAV information table at the Ferguson Center Jan. 19-20 or the week of the campaign.

“It is especially encouraging that we have seen so much involvement from male support staff, professors, deans and administrators, including UA President Robert Witt,” said UA Men’s Violence Prevention Coordinator Matthew Rombach. “I hope the campaign will send a strong message to all men at the University and lead to more dialogue on how we can work to end violence against women on our campus.”

Men Against Violence, a program sponsored by the UA Women’s Resource Center, will carry out the campaign in conjunction with the Student Health Advisory Council.

For more information, or to get involved with the campaign or get a ribbon, contact the WRC at 205/348-5040, http://wrc.ua.edu.