From college campuses to military bases, Men in Massachusetts pledge to end violence against women

February 23, 2012

WHAT:          Five years ago, the public conversation about men’s role and responsibility in being part of the solution in ending men’s violence against women took a dramatic shift in Massachusetts.  Jane Doe Inc. introduced the Annual Massachusetts White Ribbon Day to both encourage and celebrate men’s leadership in changing the social norms to no longer tolerate or perpetuate sexual and domestic violence.  Today, almost 500 men have signed up as White Ribbon Day Ambassadors and pledged to take this message of respect, equality and safety to the men and boys in their lives.  The impact of this campaign has stretched from local communities to the public policy arena.

WHEN:          March 1, 2012 at 1:00 PM

WHERE:         State House, Great Hall (second floor), Boston, MA

WHO:            Campaign sponsor Jane Doe Inc. will be joined by:

·      Governor Deval Patrick, White Ribbon Day Honorary Chair

·      Angelo McClain, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Children & Families, White Ribbon Day Co-Chair

·      Paulo Pinto, Executive Director, Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers, White Ribbon Day Co-Chair

·      Dan Lebowitz, Sports in Society, Northeastern

·      Matt Nicoli, Hanscom Air Force Base Family Advocacy Program

WHY:            News headlines make perfectly clear that violence against women occurs at unacceptable rates AND that more must be done to prevent sexual and domestic violence.  Whether it’s sexual violence on a college campus by a coach or student athlete or the nearly weekly domestic violence homicide murders in Massachusetts for the past few years, the stark reality is that tens of thousands of women, men and children are victimized each year in the Commonwealth.  Jane Doe Inc.’s Massachusetts White Ribbon Day recognizes the unique and critical role that men can play to change these headlines now and in the future.

For more information about Massachusetts White Ribbon Day, visit:  www.janedoe.org/whiteribbonday.

To schedule an interview, contact:  Toni Troop, Director of Communications, 617-212-7571 or ttroop@janedoe.org.