Each year a group of riders steer convoys of motorcycles through towns and cities in the North and South Islands on a week-long tour in support, and to create awareness, of White Ribbon Day.
White Ribbon Day is the international day for the elimination of men’s violence towards women. White Ribbon aims to end men’s violence towards women by encouraging men to lead by example and talk to other men. This year they have a new focus on ensuring that dads have the skills and confidence to talk to their sons about respectful relationships and respectful sexual relationships. This campaign is called ‘Raise Our Boys’.
This year, a White Ribbon South Island Ride will start in Kaikoura on Saturday, November 17, with riders attending organised events along the way and encouraging men to take the White Ribbon pledge.
The group will return to Nelson on White Ribbon Day, Sunday, November 25, to an organised family event, held at Victory Square, with food stalls, music, a bouncy castle and a fun league game.
Ambassador and one of the organisers, Blair McKenzie, says they encourage all riders to go along and join them.
“We would encourage all local riders to come along and escort us into the Nelson event. We have riders joining us in Murchison and Wakefield on November 25 and we want to make this a big event. The more noise the better.”
The group would like every rider to know that they need everyone’s support to make the event into a massive statement.
“This is an opportunity to bring the issue out into the open and get people talking. 200 bikes would certainly bring the attention.”
Blair is a survivor of family violence and abuse and says the organisation is one close to his heart.
“I feel passionate about the White Ribbon Campaign as I grew up in a family with a generational curse of abuse. This made me a very disturbed young man and, unfortunately, I carried it into my own life as a married man,” he says.
“Nineteen years ago, I had enough of myself and it was change or die. Thankfully I have changed, breaking the cycle of abuse in my family.”
The ride is an initiative that tackles the country’s crippling domestic violence record.
Follow the Facebook page, White Ribbon Ride South 2018, for how you can provide support.