White Ribbon Ride 2010 should be a cracker

Communities throughout New Zealand are being asked to take part in the White Ribbon Motorcycle ride in November to change attitudes toward family violence.

The ride, organised by the Families Commission as part of the White Ribbon campaign, will start in Tauranga and travel through the centre of the North Island to Wellington and then north via eastern and western routes to Auckland and Bream Bay.

“Based on the enthusiasm displayed last year, 2010 should be one to watch out for! Communities opened up their hearts and those meeting the riders found they had a shared commitment to ending family violence”, says Bruce Pilbrow, Deputy Chief Commissioner. “This is an opportunity for communities to show their support for White Ribbon and acknowledge that violence in New Zealand families is unacceptable.

“White Ribbon is a symbol of our intolerance towards violence; more than 500,000 New Zealanders wore ribbons last year as a pledge to never commit or condone violence against women and children,” says Mr Pilbrow.

In 2009 the White Ribbon Ride visited over 35 towns and cities throughout the North Island with more than 200 riders taking part. Riders had the option of traveling the whole distance or joining it for smaller runs. At each destination riders were met with events, rallies, sausage sizzles, forums and hakas – all designed to promote the anti-violence message in their communities.

“We are now asking communities throughout the North Island to register their interest in the 2010 White Ribbon Ride so that we can finalise the routes” says Mr Pilbrow.

The ride will be led by the Patriot Motorcycle Club and Super Maori Fullas, brothers who grew up the Super Māori Fulla way – surrounded by love and respect. Now they use the visibility and mobility of their bikes to encourage all New Zealanders to show that they are against violence towards women and children.

The Super Maori Fullas will be supported by the Patriot Motorcycle Club whose members are drawn from serving or past members of the New Zealand Defence Forces.

Communities who wish to participate in the ride should fill in a registration of interest at whiteribbon.org.nz or contact the Families Commission for further information.

Key Messages:

• No violence within families is tolerable. If someone within the family is being frightened or intimidated by the behaviour of someone else, it is not OK. Violence isn’t just the physical, emotional or verbal behaviour used to control someone through fear. Things we say, or don’t say, contribute to the abuse.
• White Ribbon Day is the international day when people, particularly men, wear a white ribbon to show they won’t tolerate, condone or remain silent about violence against women and children.
• It originated as a men’s movement in Canada and is now part of the United Nations annual calendar (International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women). The Families Commission took a leadership role in New Zealand in 2006.
• Whether you are a father, brother, uncle, granddad or cousin – we all want to keep our families safe. We all want our children to grow up and have happy healthy relationships.
• By simply wearing a white ribbon you can make it clear to other men that you do not tolerate violence against women.
• You can also make sure your home, your business or your sports club is a safe environment where abusive behaviour is not tolerated.
• The White Ribbon Day campaign encourages men to talk openly about family violence, to support men who want to change their abusive behaviour and to challenge comments, statements and actions by men that are abusive.

Statistics in New Zealand

• In New Zealand most violence towards women takes place in the home.
• In violence between couples, it is men’s violence that is most likely to cause serious physical or psychological harm.
• An average of 14 women a year are killed by their partners or ex partners.
• There are over 3500 convictions recorded against men each year for assaults on women.
• One in three women will experience partner violence at some point in their lives.

The Families Commission and White Ribbon Committee works with multiple agencies and NGOs to coordinate the national campaign.

The White Ribbon Ride

The White Ribbon Ride is now into its second year. The structure of the ride is significantly different to that of 2009, with one riding travelling down State Highway One and then two rides travelling north via eastern and western routes. The ride is led by the Super Maori Fullas (Mervyn, Roger and Mahu) and the Patriot Motorcycle Club whose members are former or serving members of the forces or police.
For further information about the ride visit whiteribbon.org.nz

Rules include:

• No alcohol or drugs are permitted on the ride
• No patches
• Must have motorcycle of 250cc or better
• Must agree to the pledge that ‘Wearing a white ribbon is a personal pledge never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women or children’

The Pledge

Wearing a white ribbon is a personal pledge never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women and children.