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Matt De Groot speaks out on White Ribbon Day

He's not just Fitzy and Wippa's newsreader or a panellist for The Morning Show, FOX Sports, and the ABC – Matt de Groot is also Be's newest columnist. He'll be taking us on a deep dive into the world of dating and relationships... from a guy's perspective.

I had a conversation with my sister during the Same Sex Marriage debate; she is engaged to her girlfriend and concerned the whole event would give voice to too many negative and ugly comments about gay people.

And it did.

But I told her to be patient, as where there is an ugly minority, the voice of a positive and inclusive majority will spawn.

And so it did, as well; no one will forget the national celebration of love that we experienced after the YES vote came back.

We arrive at this White Ribbon Day during a similarly ugly time in the world.

Every day we are confronted with stories of sexual-assault, predation, and down-right gross behaviour in Hollywood.

White Ribbon is Australia’s largest male-lead campaign to end violence against women, and White Ribbon Day is a chance to put the issue front of mind.

But it feels like it is already there.

Never before have so many examples of men abusing their power and influence been made so public, ending careers of extraordinarily successful, powerful and ‘influential’ men in the process.

It has been awful to watch, but from it there are many positives that are emerging as well.

With every woman who has felt ready to stand up and speak out, another two women in a similar position have felt that same empowerment.

For too long there has been a cone of silence around this awful behaviour, especially in the workplace; it embarrasses me, as a man, that women have feared being targeted, disadvantaged or shamed if they were to speak out about their superiors.

What we are seeing in Hollywood is a shift in command from the aggressor to the victim, with a global filtering down effect.

A spotlight is shining on companies who fail to properly address the issues or support the staff who make claims against management, and so it should.

HR policies are being firmed to protect the employee, and not the employer, and I suspect there are many who are looking at their own actions with genuine nervousness.

Day’s like White Ribbon Day are also here to make clear to women that if you do speak out you’ll be believed, and men and women will stand alongside you.

Matt de Groot couldn't be happier for his sister but the country she calls home won't recognise her marriage. Source: Supplied
Matt de Groot couldn't be happier for his sister but the country she calls home won't recognise her marriage. Source: Supplied

We certainly aren’t there yet, but the wheel is turning.

The statistics are disgraceful; 1/3 Australian women have experienced physical or sexual violence. One women is killed every week at the hands of a current or former partner.

These numbers are simply not ok.

The oath for White Ribbon is “I will stand up, speak out and act to end violence against women.”

I am proud to be a White Ribbon Ambassador and do what I can to create a world where men should feel comfortable to speak out against another guy, and women feel as safe to achieve on merit as I have.

Others will share their own story on White Ribbon Day, and all are important; violence in the workplace is only one area where inequality exists, but with days like today and conversations like this we are creating change in an area that has needed it for far too long.

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