Write to your MP and ms
The first step to affecting postive culture change is persuading MPs and MSs that preventing violence against women and girls starts with men and boys.
If you send your MP or MS an email, you should receive an automatic response confirming it has been received. If you do not receive a full reply from your MP or MS within three weeks, you may need to follow up by phone or email to confirm your message has been received.
Find your local representatives here:
England: Find and contact a Member of Parliament
Wales: Find and contact a Member of Parliament and a Member of the Senedd
If you’d like to share any response you receive, email us at policy@whiteribbon.org.uk.
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We can’t do our work without your support. Every donation goes toward supporting White Ribbon UK’s work in changing cultures in workplaces, providing individuals with the tools to become allies, and for us to work with decision makers and raise awareness of how we can prevent violence from happening in the first place.
We appreciate every pound and penny donated to our cause.
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What are we asking for?
White Ribbon UK is the leading charity engaging men and boys to prevent violence against women and girls. We seize every opportunity to engage with politicians and governments in England and Wales, sharing our expertise to inform public policy.
Here’s what we’re asking decision makers to do:
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Primary prevention is about tackling the root causes of violence, harmful male cultures and gender norms, to stop violence against women and girls from happening in the first place.
Our policy recommendation is to include the primary prevention of violence against women and girls within policy and strategies across government departments, alongside responses to gender-based violence.
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We need to take a whole society approach, where organisations, public services, schools and individuals, all work towards a shared goal.
Our policy recommendation is to develop and implement comprehensive primary prevention strategies involving and across all sectors of society, including education, health care, the criminal justice system, transport industry, the third sector and businesses.
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The Istanbul Convention, formally known as the Council of Europe’s Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, is a human rights agreement that was signed by the UK government and came into force in the UK in November 2022.
Our policy recommendation is to fully implement Chapter 3 of the Istanbul Convention, which focuses on prevention measures, especially by engaging men and boys, including awareness-raising campaigns, education programs, and measures to challenge gender stereotypes.
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The primary prevention of men’s violence against women is not an area that receives statutory funding to develop and deliver, yet it is key to preventing the harmful attitudes and behaviours that lead to violence.
Our policy recommendation is to increase government investment and statutory sources of funding for specialist organisations working on primary prevention initiatives, such as White Ribbon UK, aimed at addressing the underlying factors contributing to violence against women.
Why are we asking for this?
Ultimately, we want all women and girls to live free from the fear of violence. This is why we centre women’s experiences in our work; their stories inform and motivate us.
White Ribbon UK’s approach of focusing on the primary prevention of violence is key to ultimately ending violence against women. We know that violence operates on a continuum, so called ‘harmless’ words and behaviour contribute to a culture of sexism and misogyny. Every positive action taken to learn, challenge, and change these attitudes and behaviours helps create a safer and more equitable world.
It is widely understood that challenging harmful male cultures is also of benefit to men and boys. When men and boys are given the freedom to live without the expectation of adopting harmful masculine traits such as aggression, dominance, and emotional repression, they can live full lives without limitations.
This approach is supported in academic research and best practice, international conventions. Primary prevention is recognised in national and regional policy and by international organisations, such as Men Engage Europe, of which White Ribbon UK is a member.
It’s also supported by tens of thousands of men across the UK who campaign for greater awareness and funding of primary prevention. Learn more about why they’re getting involved below.
Latest campaigns
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2024 General Election
The prevention of violence against women and girls must be a top priority. We shared four policy recommendations with party leaders ahead of the 2024 General Election.
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Men’s Euro’s 2024
White Ribbon UK teamed up with Safeguarding and Wellness app imabi to launch a fixtures guide focused on how allyship makes football enjoyable for all.
