2017 White Ribbon Campaign Launches Next Week with Screening of 'Raise Our Men'

2017 White Ribbon Campaign

Announcing the Film Premiere of

RAISE OUR MEN

A film that raises questions and inspires involvement

Raise Our Men features interviews with New Zealand men about their experience of growing up and conforming to male stereotypes (the metaphorical 'man' box).

It has been developed by White Ribbon NZ as part of this year’s campaign, because how we encourage and expect men to behave directly affects the high level of domestic violence and sexual harm in this country.

The film picks up on the four key links:

· Men learn they have more power than women and so feel they are entitled to use violence against women.

· Men hold to a rigid division of what men do and what women do (gender roles), and use violence to enforce this.

· Men tend to express anger through aggression and are not encouraged to express all the other feelings they have.

· Men take their traditional masculinity identity from peers and the media, rather than developing their own more healthy identity.

The film features interviews with nine kiwi men, and in telling their stories, it shows that change is possible - when men are shown and supported to choose a different respectful path.

The premiere is being held on the 8th November at the Hollywood Cinema in Auckland and will launch this year’s White Ribbon violence prevention campaign - Raise our Boys. White Ribbon hopes the film will prompt discussion about how we raise our boys and male behaviour, and encourage men to use the White Ribbon Toolboxes that outline how to have respectful relationships and respectful sexual relationships.

"Using research conducted by White Ribbon in 2016, we found dads were happy to talk to their daughters about keeping safe, but not to their sons about respectful relationships," says White Ribbon Researcher Garth Baker. “Our 2017 Campaign will focus on giving dads the confidence and tools to talk about respectful relationships and respectful sexual relationships. It will also encourage all men to take a look at whether they are nurturing respectful relationships."

"Our ‘Raise our Boys’ campaign will focus on preventing violence and harassment by encouraging dads to teach our boys about consent and being respectful. We want to give young men permission to move out of the metaphorical ‘man box’. This involves treating women as equals, and being flexible and expressive – not what’s typically shown in a movie or pornography. The Weinstein revelations and our own awful statistics and stories of violence demonstrate that now more than ever we need to raise our boys.”

The film will become a resource for anyone working with men and young men, to promote positive, respectful behaviour and will be made freely available. Communities that wish to put on free screenings should contact White Ribbon at contact@whiteribbon.org.nz

- Film Premiere -

RAISE OUR MEN

Wednesday 8th November

The Hollywood Cinema, 20 St Georges Rd, Avondale, Auckland.

Doors open at 6:30pm | Event starts at 7:00pm | Event ends at 9:00pm

Read the 2017 White Ribbon Campaign Overview HERE

for media interviews in November nancy@blackoutmusic.co.nz

all other media enquiries to rob@whiteribbon.org.nz

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