Neighbourhood Centre community development officer Nicole Cooney said the event was about creating a conversation with men about domestic violence to preserve White Ribbon as a male-led movement. 

Boys from Rutherford Technology High School manned the grill for employees and passers-by.

“We’re working with Joy Global, a giant multinational that hires a lot of men and has a main office in Rutherford. We’re chatting with the blokes on their breaks and handing out white ribbons and trying to open a dialogue on the ‘I swear’ campaign,” Ms Cooney said.

She said it was good to see the older men chat with the students and embrace the campaign message.

Maitland Pickers head trainer and White Ribbon ambassador Merv Fullford, who attended the event, said it was imperative that the message reached and inspired Maitland’s men. 

“As an ambassador and a sports trainer in the community, I see myself as a role model to be able to raise awareness and get the message out there to stop male violence against women,” he said.

Ms Cooney said that, despite losing a close friend to domestic violence and finding the cause extremely close to her own heart, White Ribbon’s greatest chance of success stemmed from men assuming an active stance on the issue. 

“There are a lot of men in our community that are really good men and they’re horrified by the statistics? It’s a men’s movement. We see it as men talking to other men. There’s no better person to pull you up on a gender issue than a member of your own,” Ms Cooney said.