In The News

Metro Boston
Thursday, December 06, 2007

Men make ‘White Ribbon’ pledge - BOSTON.

The men of Massachusetts are taking a stand against sexual and domestic violence. Near the end of a year that has seen a dramatic rise in domestic violence homicides in the state, several leading men banded together yesterday at the State House to pledge a commitment to curbing the crime.

Including former Gov. Paul Cellucci and Northeastern University Athletic Director Peter Roby, each man will serve as an ambassador for the state’s first White Ribbon Day Feb. 14, 2008, when Massachusetts will join millions worldwide who have already taken this symbolic step.

“I get frustrated because it seems like we make progress [on domestic violence], and then we have a year like this one,” Cellucci said. “We have to change attitudes too many men in the state have.”

After the state saw 19 deaths related to domestic violence in 2005 and 34 last year, there have been 50 so far in 2007, according to Jane Doe Inc., which organized the event through its Men’s Initiative.

Bryanna Houston, 28, is one of the survivors, having overcome the trauma of being raped in college. She too called for men to alter the attitude that domestic violence is a woman’s problem.

“Men should no longer stand on the sidelines when it comes to domestic violence prevention,” Houston said.

The White Ribbon Campaign was launched in Canada, two years after the Dec. 6, 1989, Montreal Massacre, in which 14 female students were killed by a gunman.

Tony Lee