Eric Hutchinson (Lyons, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tomorrow is White Ribbon Day, and I stand in this place to swear an oath: I swear never to commit, excuse or remain silent about violence against women. This is my oath.

There are practical things that men can do to stop violence against women. These include listening to women—women know best: it is important that we ask and then we listen. We can learn why some men are violent. Men are not naturally violent; violence is learnt behaviour. We can challenge sexist language and jokes, which degrade women—we have all heard such contributions, and possibly laughed them off. We can learn to identify and oppose sexual harassment and violence in our workplaces, schools and families. We can examine how our own behaviour might contribute to the problem of violence against women—a little bit of self-reflection for all of us. We can work towards long-term solutions. We must teach our boys that they do not need to control or dominate women, children, or other men.

Each year, men around the world are wearing a white ribbon up to and on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. I acknowledge the member for Bass, an ambassador for White Ribbon Day in my state of Tasmania, and I encourage men to wear a white ribbon as a personal pledge never to commit violence against women—here and in our local communities.