Today, in Australia, it is National Swear Day. I consider it my responsibility to swear today.
Men across Australia are being asked to swear an oath that commits them to never commit or excuse violence against women. The My Oath website has full details on why we should swear and lets men take part in the campaign.
National Swear Day has the support of high profile men such as Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Lt Gen Ken Gillespie, Hazem El Masri, Rove, Keith Urban, Wil Anderson, David Koch, Adam Goodes, Shannon Noll, Jason Culina, Dicko, and many others.
Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has labelled violence against women the most prevalent violation of human rights on the planet. And Australia is far from immune. Currently, one in three Australian women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Every single one of us knows a women who has suffered its effects, whether we know it or not. These women are our mothers, daughters, our wives, our girlfriends, colleagues and friends. By supporting this campaign you are helping to ensure that Australia becomes a safer place for all women, and their children.
The day is part of the White Ribbon Campaign. Today is also White Ribbon Day, and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Australian men are urged to visit the My Oath website and follow the links to swear the following:
I swear:
never to commit violence against women,
never to excuse violence against women, and
never to remain silent about violence against women.
This is my oath.
Violence against women is never acceptable. Please swear today.
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Hi Rodney, this is a great initiative but, of course, the people who will make the oath are people who would never engage in that kind of behaviour in the first place or who are reformed offenders. However, having been a miserable git in saying that, what I will add is that every action like this that gets the “no to violence” message circulating publicly is another reminder to perpetrators and victims alike that this behaviour isn’t normal or socially sanctioned – that a perpetrator must stop and can get the help to stop and that a victim doesn’t have to stay to cop more of the same.
You’re absolutely right. There is a great danger that this will simply be a ‘feel good exercise’ for those who would never lift a hand in anger, but I’m encouraged by the part of the oath that calls for men to “never remain silent about violence against women”.
If even a handful of us take that seriously then we will be able to keep the message alive that it’s NEVER OK to be violent against women.
When I look at the oath I can honestly say that I’ve never committed violence against a woman and I’ve never excused violence against women, but when I get to that final line I need to admit that I have been silent to some degree.
Even this blog post contributes in a small way towards breaking that silence and getting people talking about this horrible tragedy. I certainly hope I can find more ways to highlight the severity of violence against women.