| In The News
State House to host White Ribbon event on
Valentine's Day
By NEIL MIROCHNICK
Patriot Ledger State House Bureau
Tues., Feb. 12, 2008
BOSTON -- This Valentine's Day, hundreds of men will be giving women
a meaningful gift that won't cost them a thing. They'll take part
in White Ribbon Day, an international event in which men will pledge
never to commit, condone or remain silent about domestic violence.
Leading the pledge Thursday at the State House will be Gov. Deval
Patrick, Lt. Gov. Tim Murray and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. The
event host is Jane Doe Inc., a coalition against sexual assault
and domestic violence.
Other organizations taking part include DOVE Inc., South Shore
Women's Resource Center, Womansplace Crisis Center, the Plymouth
County District Attorney's office and the Plymouth County Sheriff's
office.
"This is a celebration welcoming and believing in men,"
Craig Norberg-Bohm, White Ribbon Day campaign coordinator, said.
"Most of us tend to be good in our relationships, but that's
private. We want to do something public, for all men to see."
The event is held on Valentine's Day to demonstrate that safety
and respect go along with romance and love. The organizations hope
to let men know that they are a vital part of the solution, not
just the problem.
White Ribbon Day was started in 1991 by a group of Canadian men
in response to the killing of 14 female students at the University
of Montreal by a gunman two years earlier. Fifty countries are set
to participate this year. In 2006, 300,000 ribbons were distributed
worldwide.
The Massachusetts White Ribbon Day co-chairmen are former Gov.
Paul Cellucci and Peter Roby, Northeastern University's athletic
director. Leon Powe of the Boston Celtics will also be at the State
House to take the pledge.
"This is about men's character," Norberg-Bohm said. "We're
inviting men to take the pledge, to wear a ribbon and to ask friends
to wear a ribbon."
Copyright 2008 The Patriot Ledger
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