By Leyla Buran, Campaigns and Policy Manager at White Ribbon UK

The Government’s ambition to halve men’s violence against women and girls within a decade is welcome, and one that can only be achieved by prioritising the Primary Prevention of men’s violence against women and girls.

Primary prevention work needs to engage men and boys in a whole society approach – in all areas of people’s lives and across sectors. This can be in primary schools, with a curriculum that supports teachers to provide children and young people with the tools to critically analyse gender stereotypes, and what respect and equality look and feel like for everyone. It can be in a workplace that has a robust domestic abuse policy in place and has a culture that encourages allyship between staff. Or it can be on transport networks where individuals have the skills to be upstanders and know how to safely intervene when they see or hear sexism.

In the lead up to White Ribbon Day there has been a step forward in White Ribbon’s mission to prioritise the prevention of men's violence against women and girls from decision makers in Cardiff and Westminster. Through strategic engagement with decision-makers, we're seeing real understanding of the importance of putting Primary Prevention at the heart of policy. Most importantly, it is being widely understood that this work needs cross-party support, and we are seeing just that in conversations and work that is being done.

In Cardiff, White Ribbon’s co-hosted event with Cardiff Council brought together key stakeholders across Wales to discuss the importance of men’s allyship and prevention. The panel featured insights from White Ribbon Ambassadors and specialists in ending violence against women and girls, Mike Taggart MBE (White Ribbon Ambassador and Trustee, Detective Sergeant at North Wales Police), Mat Taylor (White Ribbon Ambassador, Senior Perpetrator Programme Manager at Welsh Government & Lead on Sound Campaign), and Dave Murray-Dickson (White Ribbon Ambassador, Operational Manager for Adult Safeguarding at Cardiff Council). They shared practical advice on how men can take responsibility for preventing violence against women and girls in their personal and professional lives. Their messages resonated strongly with core White Ribbon principles: the importance of men challenging sexism, creating safe spaces for dialogue, and listening to and centring women's experiences.

The impact of the White Ribbon message was evident throughout the day's events at the Senedd led by Joyce Watson MS, where cross-party Members consistently referenced White Ribbon Day 2024’s theme ‘It Starts with Men’ and emphasised the critical role of engaging men and boys in prevention work. The evening vigil, featuring a moving speech from Mike Taggart MBE, reminded us why prevention work is vital to stop gender-based violence from happening in the first place.

In Westminster, there was unprecedented cross-party support at our parliamentary reception, attended by over 80 MPs, including Alex Davies-Jones (Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls), Diana Johnson (Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime), and Caroline Nokes (Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons). The Speaker of the House who was in attendance, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, alongside Deputy Speakers, demonstrated their commitment to White Ribbon. The event heard from MPs across parties speaking to their personal commitment to prioritise the prevention of violence against women and girls by engaging men and boys.

Highlighting that everyone needs to take individual responsibility to prevent men’s violence against women and girls as a human rights issue, Josh Fenton-Glynn, MP for Calderdale, said in his speech at the event, “I know it’s traditional for male politicians when speaking about men’s violence against women to earnestly list all our female relatives. But that’s not why I care, I’m not against violence against women and girls because I’m the father of a daughter, although I am. Or the son of a single mother, albeit I’m that too. Or the husband of an amazing wife, but that goes without saying. And frankly when we hear people always frame their concern about violence against women in terms of only women they happen to have met, we forget the key reason we all should be opposed to violence against women and girls. And that is because women are human beings, and you shouldn’t care about human suffering just because it might also impact someone you know personally.”

Commitment was made for Westminster becoming the ‘first White Ribbon Parliament', led by Emily Darlington MP.

Emily Darlington, MP for Milton Keynes who sponsored the event said, “It was incredible to see so many MPs from different parties come together to support White Ribbon’s essential work - including the Speaker himself. As I said to my colleagues, every woman in that room has a story - every woman in every room has a story. I’m so proud that we are taking steps towards a future in which one day that won’t have to be the case.”

The events and conversations have highlighted the importance of White Ribbon’s key policy aims; prioritising primary prevention to end men’s violence against women and girls, establishing a response based on a whole-society approach, ensuring the full implementation of the Istanbul Convention's prevention measures, and securing investment in prevention work.

The turnout, engagement and real understanding from decision-makers at events in Westminster and Cardiff shows growing recognition that preventing violence against women and girls must be a priority across all levels of government. This must go hand in hand with properly funding specialist support services for all women and girls to be able to access support at the point of need, without discrimination of their visa status or a postcode lottery determining service availability.

As we move forward, the relationships White Ribbon has with decision-makers will be crucial in transforming commitments into concrete action at local, regional and national level. White Ribbon will continue campaigning with decision makers to ensure that men and boys, workplaces, local authorities and organisations are being led with clear support and investment to make a real difference and positively change cultures so that all women and girls can live free from the fear of violence.

You can find out more about White Ribbon UK’s policy and campaigns work, and download a letter to send to your MP or MS encouraging them to prioritise the Primary Prevention of violence against women and girls, here.