Men speak out against violence against women

By Crystal Martin
Roncalli Central High
Port Saunders, Newfoundland

 On December 6, 1989, a man murdered 14 women at Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique. This year, we remember those women and all the women who are being abused or mistreated.

For the last few weeks, men, young and old, have been wearing a white ribbon to show they will not commit, condone, or remain silent about violence against women. The males of Roncalli High School are no exception.

The Family Living Class at Roncalli has done quite a bit to recognize this anniversary and has encouraged other men of the community to show their support. A large white ribbon was made and all the men in the class signed it. It was also brought to the stadium in Port aux Choix while a hockey game was going on and all the men there signed it. It was later displayed on the side of school. Hopefully, people have passed by and have seen it.

As well, each person in the class has made a poster about violence against women and the girls in the class are also making a video about violence against women. A RCMP officer came to the class to December 4 to talk about violence against women. The student council passed out white ribbons to every male in school during that day.

"The reason is to show people what's really going in society. Most people are afraid to discuss violence against women," says Donald Spence, president of the student council and a student in Family Living class.

"It increases the public's awareness of violence against women. Our society must not accept any violence against women," says Glen MacArthur, a teacher at the school.

But it is not just men remembering this day. Women also remember. Women all over will wear a red rose to show that they will not stand for violence against them or any other woman.

Connie Powell is a teacher at Roncalli. She thinks that women have to be careful to protect themselves.

"The White Ribbon Campaign serves as a reminder of a terrible tragedy that has touched all women across Canada," she says. "We can only hope that this campaign will continue to make us all more aware of how vulnerable we are to attack."

The school held a hot dog sale on December 8 and all the money will be sent to the White Ribbon campaign.

December 6 is the anniversary of a wrong committed against women. It is a wrong we can not afford to repeat. But we do remember. We females always remember and hopefully all the males will get the message that violence is wrong.