WHITE RIBBON DAY

Violence Prevention Campaign

On  22 November, twelve year 9 boys and Mr Norton made their way down to the Camberwell City Council for the White Ribbon Campaign speech. The White Ribbon Campaign is a violence prevention campaign that aims to create awareness among men and boys about what role they can fulfill in order to prevent violence against women. It also calls for men across Australia to speak out and take the oath. The oath was about never committing, excusing or remaining silent about violence against women.

We listened to a guest speaker, by the name of Beth Mathison. She was an emotional speaker, who was very sensitive about the topic. All the boys thought she spoke very well about the topic and was very brave to speak up about this important issue. 

Thankfully Beth was able to move away from the domestic violence she experienced and resolve the situation. Now she is happy, working and sharing her experiences with others in order to raise awareness. Recently she was given major awards such as the Telstra Business Woman of the Year.

After the speeches, there was a press conference to ask questions. Lorne Whytcross was brave enough to put his hand up and ask what we (as year 9 students) can do to help. The leaders of the conference answered us by saying that:

• Domestic violence always starts at a young age, if you witness it be sure to seek help and advice as soon as possible.
• Anyone would be willing to help. By telling as little as two to three people, you can help save someone’s life.
• Speaking up and being the good bystander will certainly help eradicate domestic violence.

Overall, it was a fantastic day and we learnt a lot from the experience.

Jadyn Lam

Year 9