Raising Awareness

It was White Ribbon Day here in Australia last Friday: a day to say no to men’s violence against women. It coincides with this Thursday, 25th November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

On average, one woman a week is murdered by her current or former partner.

White Ribbon Australia, 2021

Nearly 1 in 3 women have been abused in their lifetime. Globally, an estimated 137 women are killed by a member of their family every day.

UN and WHO, 2021

This year’s UN campaign theme is ‘Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now‘. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women starts off 16 days of activism, ending on International Human Rights Day. Closer to home, White Ribbon Day specifically fundraises for Australian programs to educate boys and men against violence. The UN believes that to stop the violence starts with “believing survivors, adopting comprehensive and inclusive approaches that tackle the root causes, transform harmful social norms, and empower women and girls.” 

In recognition of these two days and the vital work they do to raise awareness and change behaviours, I saved the below poem for publication this week. It is a fictional piece about wrath, pain, and justice–but comes from the heart. Let us all work together and speak out to ensure that violence against girls and women stops.

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Unmasked

we will not trouble you with words
of anger, sorrow, hurt, and fear
we will not bother you to sigh
or whisper dreams we once held dear

we will not plead to you of things
we used to cry and beg about
we will not let you tear us down
or stare us down or shut us out

we will not take the battered path
the beaten and deserted one
we will not let you tell us that
this fight is lost, or we’re undone

we will not burden you with our
predictions of your dire demise
we will not lose our tempers nor
be tempted into compromise

we will not trouble you until sweet
fate arrives, she hears our call
but we’ll be waiting in the wings
to watch you fall and fall and

Fall.

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PS: If you or someone you know is involved in an abusive relationship, please seek help. Contact White Ribbon in Australia, or your local emergency helplines. Thanks for dropping by.