Jane Doe Inc.

BOSTON -- More than 500 men and allies from community groups, high schools and colleges, businesses, government and the military gathered in the State House on Thursday for Jane Doe Inc.'s 8th Annual White Ribbon Day Statewide Proclamation Event.
 
Among them was Northeastern director of athletics and recreation Peter Roby, who served as the Co-Chair of the 2015 White Ribbon Day Campaign with Northwest District Attorney David Sullivan. Roby, along with several male student-athletes, took the White Ribbon Day Pledge at Wednesday night's women's basketball game.
 
This year's theme, Reimagine Manhood, aims to engage men and boys to be part of solution in ending violence against women by shifting the norms associated with manhood to value respect, compassion and non-violence as an antidote to the abuse of power in relationships and society.
 
"My goal is to engage my sports colleagues in a coordinated effort to end this epidemic and make our community safe for everyone regardless of gender," Roby said. "By lending your voice and reaching out to the men and boys in your community, you will be part of the solution to end violence against women and making our community safer for everyone regardless of gender."
 
White Ribbon Day is part of an international campaign called The White Ribbon Campaign. Designed especially with men in mind at the time, this was created by a handful of Canadian men in 1991 on the second anniversary of one man's massacre of 14 women in Montreal. They began the White Ribbon Campaign to urge men to speak out against violence against women.

Today, the WRC is a worldwide campaign in 60 countries that has collected well over five million signatures and growing.

About Jane Doe Inc.
As the only sexual and domestic violence statewide, non-profit, advocacy, membership organization in Massachusetts, Jane Doe Inc. provides expert support and resources to our nearly 60 community-based sexual assault and domestic violence members. In 2008, JDI founded the White Ribbon Day Campaign to provide an opportunity for Massachusetts to join this international effort for human rights to engage men to help end violence against women, children, and other men. To learn more about the coalition, visit www.janedoe.org, or call 617-248-0922.