The Town of Arlington is recruiting men who live or work in the Arlington area to demonstrate their commitment to being part of the solution to violence against women by being a part of White Ribbon Week, through March 5.

Men can take the White Ribbon Day pledge themselves and serve as an ambassador who recruits his male colleagues and friends to join them in taking the pledge and wearing a white ribbon on March 2 and throughout the week. The Arlington Board of Selectmen voted Feb. 25 to issue a proclamation in support of White Ribbon Day 2010.

“By wearing a white ribbon, men and boys will show they don’t tolerate or condone men’s violence towards women, men and children,” stated Kim Kay Holt, Director of the Leadership Enrichment Adventure Project (LEAP) and a long-time domestic violence and sexual assault prevention advocate.  

The third annual White Ribbon Day is a statewide campaign sponsored by Jane Doe Inc.  Throughout the month, men across the state will show their support by encouraging others in their organizations, families and workplaces to wear a white ribbon, place a poster up at their workplaces, spread the word about the campaign and its aims, organize local events to speak out against violence towards women, and challenge attitudes and behaviors which condone or tolerate violence.

White Ribbon pins and pledge cards have been donated to the town by LEAP, and can be picked up at Town Hall.  Donations are being collected in exchange for the White Ribbon pins and will be given to Jane Doe Inc.’s Mens Program.

“We’re taking our cue from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that speaks to how violence against women is a human rights violation and how these abuses around the world are obstacles to efforts for peace and gender equality in all societies,” said Craig Norberg-Bohm, Jane Doe Inc.’s White Ribbon Day campaign coordinator and longtime Arlington resident.

White Ribbon Day began in Canada, two years after the Montreal Massacre in which 14 women students at the University of Montreal were killed and 13 other students wounded by a single gunman. Canadians organized a response to show their support to victims of violence everywhere.  The White Ribbon Day Campaign has grown internationally in the past seventeen years. 

For more information or to set up an interview, contact: Kim Kay Holt, at 781-572-6812 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .