The Tokenism of The White Ribbon

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence has just finished on December 10th and is often referred to as White Ribbon Day.

This in itself is an example of the problem with our patriarchal society more comfortable naming something after a male organisation than the 3 women of colour whose memory it was actually started in.

The idea behind white ribbon was an admirable one. After the mass shooting of women in Canada men got together to acknowledge violence against women and girls as a men’s issue. They vowed to do something about it. I echo those original sentiments. To solve a problem you must first acknowledge it so you can prevent it.

Unfortunately what has happened with it in the UK is it is now a symbol of tokenism.

Every local authority will have representatives take their white ribbon badge out of the drawer they put it in last year. Wearing it for photo opportunities like a badge that says self proclaimed good guy on it. Then they put it back in the drawer. They don’t increase funding for domestic abuse victim services, they don’t fire staff accused of sexual harassment, they ignore any suggestion of naming the problem and cry not all men instead. They condone, they enable, they use it to silence.



A prime example of this is a recent one. A firefighters in Wales who was awarded White Ribbon accreditation in 2014.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service was awarded White Ribbon accreditation in recognition of the actions it is taking to help end male violence against women.

Simon Smith, Chief Fire Officer, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said:

“We are ensuring that the unacceptable issue of male violence against women is highlighted at fire stations and workplaces across North Wales, and as a Service we are taking active steps to help stop violence against women by raising awareness and empowering colleagues to speak out.

It all sounds great doesn’t it? There’s a phrase that comes to mind…. Deeds Not Words. So let’s look at the deeds of these oh so progressive good guys.

Well South Wales Fire and Rescue Service is currently facing an independent review into its culture and disciplinary processes following an ITV News investigation into abusive behaviour by two of its firemen. 

ITV News found evidence that two firemen had been allowed to keep their jobs despite sexually harassing and abusing women.

ITV News found that in 2020 one of its firefighters was found to have sexually harassed a female member of staff while at work.

Watch Manager John Morgan was accused of exposing himself to a cleaner on night shifts, with the harassment lasting for years – tonight he has been taken off his shifts by South Wales Fire Service.

Waiving her anonymity, Shirley – who works at Ely station in Cardiff – says she eventually reported Mr Morgan’s behaviour because she feared she could be raped.

However, little over a year later Mr Morgan was promoted again, regaining his original position as Watch Manager.

He continues to work at a station which carries the white ribbon, supposedly offering safe refuge to women.

ITV News also spoke to a former partner of another firefighter, who we cannot identify in order to protect his victim.

She told us that she had been domestically abused by the fireman. ITV News has verified her claims via court documents, which show that the firefighter was convicted of assault.

Despite his conviction, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service allowed the firefighter to continue working for the service at a white ribbon station.

He was eventually dismissed several years later over unrelated misconduct.

His former partner told us: “It’s just changed me. I used to be so bubbly and outgoing.” I just don’t think he should be allowed to be in a place of safe haven for domestic violence victims when he’s a domestic violence aggressor.

Now comes all of the clamouring of the not all men brigade. Ready to DARVO and make all these poor firefighters who are good guys the real victims in this because of a few “bad apples”.

Not all men – because men’s feelings matter more than women’s lives.

And so it will become about that rather than naming, addressing and preventing the problem.

It will become about not talking about it, or what those men did, or the men they worked with that knew, and the men who were their bosses that let them stay – those bosses knowing that they were serial and escalating offences because they’d had VAWG training….

White Ribbon has become the opposite of it’s intentions. No sign of naming or acknowledgement of the problem in sight. Instead a tool of tokenism, silencing and condoning.

And so…They will stand with their shiny good guy badges and the feminists will wear their mean man hater ones and they will fight on.