White Ribbon Day
Dear Priscilla Bennett Friends,
Last Thursday State leaders in Massachusetts launched the White Ribbon Day campaign to end domestic violence. Thousands of men and boys took the pledge to end violence against women and promote safety and respect. The pledge reads, “From this day forward, I promise to be part of the solution in ending violence against women and all gender-based violence.” According to Jane Doe Inc., 28 people died from domestic violence related issues in Massachusetts last year. The group is taking a stand to prevent these tragedies in the future by changing societal attitudes through the campaign. People will wear white ribbons throughout the month of March to show support for the movement.
“The widespread prevalence of sexual harassment, sexual and domestic violence of epic proportions is not new; it’s just being exposed and called out, mostly by very courageous survivors who are saying, ‘no more,’” Jane Doe Inc. Executive Director Debra Robbin said. The campaign is also using social media to raise awareness through the hashtag #ReimagineManhood promoting values including healthy masculinity, gender equity and racial justice. States across the nation are also participating in the movement against domestic violence.
In my novel SOMETHING TO BE BRAVE FOR that takes place in the 1990s, there are no men wearing white ribbons—quite the opposite—they would have laughed at the idea and said those people were crazy and overreacting. Katie is told this by her husband Claude who beats her mentally and physically and by her parents when Katie tells them she wants to leave. “There must be something you are doing wrong. Try harder. It’s your responsibility. Go back and fix it,” they told her. If there had been more awareness about domestic violence and what Katie was going through, maybe she would have had more support and less suffering.
Take good care of yourselves,
PRISCILLA BENNETT XOXO