Archbishop of Sydney

White Ribbon Day

By + Cardinal George Pell
Archbishop of Sydney
20 November 2005

Violence is a scourge.  All of us can be tempted to it in different ways, men and women, young and old, rich and poor, learned and unlettered, but especially men.  It is a source of fear, disablement and death.  Aggression is part of our nature. 

One of the fundamental aims of civilised life is to control and diminish violence.  And one particular measure of a civilised society is its success in protecting women and children from violence. 

It is important to remember this as next Friday’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women approaches.  Men are asked to wear a white ribbon in solidarity with women victims of violence.

Since the 1960s serious crime against persons and property in Australia has increased sevenfold.  Violent crime has escalated massively since the early 1980s.  Between 1981-82 and 1993 alone, the number of assaults increased ten times.  This must be connected with drug and alcohol abuse.

Violence against women has also increased over recent decades.  Rates of sexual assault grew by 1000 per cent between 1964 and 1993.  In New South Wales recorded domestic violence has trebled since 1995, with 71 per cent of victims in 2004 being women.  Domestic violence now makes up about 37 per cent of all assaults recorded in New South Wales.

Violence on the street or at the hands of strangers is terrible, but most horrible is violence from someone we love.  In 2004 in New South Wales 62 per cent of domestic assaults were perpetrated by current or former partners, with 95 per cent of the victims being women.

Women at all ages are at risk, including the young.  A 1996 study of Australian women aged between 18 and 23 years claimed that 11 per cent had been in a violent relationship, and another 13 per cent had suffered non-partner violence. 

Pregnancy seems to increase the likelihood of partner violence.  27 per cent of young women who had been pregnant reported violence from their partner, compared to 8 per cent of women who had not been pregnant — an increase of 230 per cent.

The same study suggests a strong connection between partner violence and both miscarriage and abortion.  The role of fathers in provoking the abortion of their unborn children is a special aspect of violence against women and children that is yet to be properly studied in this country.

White Ribbon Day should focus our attention on these appalling facts.  It should also spark a public discussion about what it means to be a man and how men should relate to women.

We need to recover the old idea that hitting a woman is gutlessness not manliness.  Male strength is for serving and protecting others; all others, but especially those they love. 

Preserving this value remains the key to preserving civilisation.