Gender Debate Surrounds White Ribbon Day

Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First wrote a opinion piece in the New Zealand Herald earlier this week titled 'Why I Won't be Wearing the White Ribbon'.  The piece argued for a recognition of gender symmetry in family violence and called for a broadening of the scope, away from gender based analysis.

You can read this piece 'Why I Won't be Wearing the White Ribbon' via the NZ Herald website here.

This piece provoked a number of responses from key family violence research and practice specialists: 

Dr Janet Fanslow's response titled 'Facts on violence against women' is available via the NZ Herald Online site here.

Women's Refuge's response titled 'Hey Bob, You Shouldn't be Wearing a White Ribbon Anyway' is available via the Scoop website here.

The Coalition for the Safety of Women and Children's response titled 'Family First or Women's Safety Last?' available via Scoop here.

National Network of Stopping Violence Services response titled 'Is Bob McCoskrie Really Putting Families First?' via the NNSVS website here. 

An article by Simon Collins in the NZ Herald titled 'Leaders Slam Family First over White Ribbon' available here.

The Families Commission response titled 'Come on Bob, Be a Man, Wear a White Ribbon' via the NZ Herald website here.

Updated content

NZ Herald editorial has last word

Read the NZ Herald editorial (26 November 2011): White Ribbon Day attack backfires

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