White Ribbon Week promotes a world without gender-based violence

Students and staff at St. Andrew’s College pledged to “never to commit, condone or stay silent about violence against women” in the lead-up to our White Ribbon Campaign assembly.

The White Ribbon Campaign was formed in response to the December 6, 1989, shooting at École Polytechnique in Montreal to raise awareness of the prevalence of male violence against women. For more than 20 years, SAC has participated in the campaign, a worldwide movement that aims to help end gender-based violence. Its mandate encourages men and boys to lead by example, challenging racism, homophobia, transphobia, and sexism. 

Our November 29 White Ribbon Service in Ketchum Auditorium launched a week of action on violence against women. St. Andrew’s Upper School students shared the space with Upper School students from St. Anne’s School and Prefects from St. Mildred’s-Lightbourn School.

“Thirty-three years ago, in 1991, the Canadian Parliament declared December 6 as a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Since 2003, we at St. Andrew’s have spoken the names of those women, and we have prayed for all women who are victims of violence. Their names are too numerous to speak,” stated Head Prefect Ethan Fleming as an introduction to the ceremony.

Mr. Dave Stewart, Associate Director, Upper School, Student Affairs, shared his thoughts: “We gather today to remember all those who were and are victims of gender-based violence. We gather, awaiting light in the darkness. We gather, hoping for comfort and strength. We gather, looking for guidance and action. We gather, seeking justice and reconciliation with the hope that we are given the courage and peace to act.”

SAC Prefects were joined on stage by senior leadership students from SAS and some of St. Mildred’s guests to light 14 white candles representing the victims of the Montreal Massacre.

Following this, St. Andrew’s Prefects, members of the Inter-Faith Council and Social Justice Council, and Student Heads of House shared their pledges to end gender-based violence.

Mr. Stewart ended the assembly by reflecting on the shortened lives of a few of the massacre victims, building on last year’s tributes. “Although we never knew them, we know of them and that they died by the hand of hatred, intolerance and misogyny,” he said.

He added that the students from St. Anne’s and St. Mildred’s “need to know that the people in this auditorium will do whatever it takes to end gender-based violence, end the discriminatory practices that target women and visible minorities, to be allies with those who need us and do what we can to offer support, and, perhaps most critically, to treat everyone around us with decency and respect; to be Andreans who do everything with love and charity in their hearts.”

Our Prefects will attend the White Ribbon Service hosted by St. Mildred’s-Lightbourn this week.

An abridged version of the assembly was presented to our Middle School boys on November 28. After the service, each student was asked to write the name of a special woman in their lives on a heart as a statement of solidarity.

A pledge book and a basket of white ribbons will sit in Staunton Gallery for the duration of White Ribbon Week, and students and staff can sign the book and pin a white ribbon over their heart as a pledge to never be complicit in any way regarding gender-based violence.