Senate debates

Tuesday, 3 December 2013

Motions

White Ribbon Day

12:46 pm

Photo of Mitch FifieldMitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | | Hansard source

At the request of Senators Cash, Moore and Rhiannon, I move:

That the Senate:

(a) notes:

(i) that 25 November is observed as White Ribbon Day,

(ii) that White Ribbon Day aims to reduce and prevent violence against women and raise awareness of the issue in all Australian communities,

(iii) that the White Ribbon organisation is the world’s largest male-led movement to end men’s violence against women, and

(iv) the Coalition’s commitment to increase funding to the White Ribbon campaign by $1 million over 4 years; and

(b) acknowledges:

(i) that partner violence is the most common type of violence against women, affecting 30 per cent of women worldwide,

(ii) that women are most at risk of violence in the home and from men they know, and young women are at greater risk of violence than older women,

(iii) that, in the past year, between 5 and 10 per cent of Australian women experienced at least one incident of physical and/or sexual violence by a man, and

(iv) the men and the members and senators that swear the White Ribbon Oath: ‘I swear never to commit, excuse or remain silent about violence against women’.

Question agreed to.