Why should I swear?

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has labelled violence against women the most prevalent violation of human rights on the planet. And Australia is far from immune. Currently, one in three Australian women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Every single one of us knows a woman who has suffered its effects, whether we know it or not. These women are our mothers, daughters, our wives, our girlfriends, colleagues and friends. By supporting this campaign you are helping to ensure that Australia becomes a safer place for all women, and their children.

What is violence?

The United Nations Declaration of the Elimination of Violence against Women defines violence against women as: "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life." In simple terms, violence against women is violence "directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects a woman disproportionately." There are many kinds of names for violence against women:

• domestic violence, family violence, wife-beating, intimate violence, intimate homicide, femicide
• sexual violence, sexual assault, rape, marital rape, gang rape, date rape, acquaintance rape, indecent assault, sexual harassment, sex-based harassment
• child abuse, child sexual abuse, paedophilia, incest
• homophobic violence, hate crime, lesbian bashing, elder abuse
• genital mutilation
• enforced prostitution
• enforced sterilisation, enforced abortion, killing of unwanted female babies, enforced motherhood

What is the White Ribbon Campaign?

The White Ribbon Campaign aims to end violence against women by encouraging men and boys to take positive action to create change. White Ribbon is working to develop a culture of gender equality and respect where attitudes and behaviours that support the use of violence, are no longer tolerated. Read more about the White Ribbon Foundation and its work here.