Middlesex Sheriff: 'A Man's Strength Should be Shown Through His Character'

By CHARLENE ARSENAULT (Patch Staff)

Middlesex Sheriff Koutoujian accepted the position to serve as co-chair of the 2016 White Ribbon Day Campaign.

“I am proud to stand with Jane Doe, as I have for many years, to highlight the important role men have as fathers, sons, brothers, friends and mentors in ending violence against women,” he said in a statement.

White Ribbon Day will be held on March 3, 2016, in Massachusetts. It is a collaborative where many communities join to operate city and town proclamation events, info tables and education opportunities.

It was conceived under the guise of Jane Doe, Inc., which is an organization started 30 years ago by survivors and activists in Massachusetts and across the country to speak out against rape, sexual assault, domestic violence and violence against women.

“I am honored to serve as Co-Chair of the 2016 White Ribbon Day Campaign because a man’s strength should be shown though his character and moral judgment, never through the use of force and violence,” said Koutoujian in an announcement. “This campaign is designed to focus on proactive, preventive efforts to end violence against women. It is about finding ways to engage young men and boys in constructive dialogue about what it means to be a man in today’s culture. And it is about instilling a value system that shows them healthy relationships – and healthy communities – are built on love and respect, not fear and intimidation.”