IN THE time that it takes to read this article, there will most probably be ten calls to police in the UK reporting domestic abuse by men against women. By the time you read next week’s Church Times, it is likely that two women in England and Wales will have been killed by men. Two women, made in God’s image, who are alive now but will be dead next week.

These statistics are not just shocking but also deeply uncomfortable. While men are also victims of domestic abuse, the stark fact remains: most domestic abuse is perpetrated by men against women; and this is to say nothing of gender-based abuse and violence outside the home. One in four women in England and Wales will experience domestic abuse during her lifetime.

It is uncomfortable because these facts challenge my identity as a man. Of course, I know, as a Christian, that my identity is first found in Jesus Christ, a person known by name to God: precious, loved, and made in the image of God (Genesis 1.27) —and called to live in a respectful relationship. Yet my experience often clashes with this truth.

As a husband and a father of two daughters, I see a society that fails to afford women and girls the respect that they are due as beings made in God’s image. As a bishop, I see a Church and a society too often complacent about the violence faced by so many women at the hands of men.

This complacency is underlined by the present context of the Church’s reckoning with our own failure, set out in the review by Keith Makin of the abuse carried out by John Smyth (News, 15 November). The report shines a spotlight both on the horrendous abuse by Smyth which damaged young men’s lives, and on the devastating consequences of complacency and inaction. It underscores the urgent need for listening, repentance, and the creation of a culture rooted in accountability and justice, where the safety and dignity of all — whether girls or boys, children, or adults — are upheld.

This is why, as part of my commitment to our work in safeguarding, I am an ambassador for the White Ribbon movement, committed to championing its work in the Church, to address violence by men against women, and to confront the complacency within the Church. It is essential that men, particularly in leadership, listen to women and take seriously our joint responsibility to address and end this violence.

THE White Ribbon movement began in Canada in 1991, in response to the École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal in 1989. Today, White Ribbon charities exist in more than 60 countries, including White Ribbon UK, which was founded in 2004. Its aim is “to prevent violence against women and girls by addressing its root causes”. The charity focuses on the part played by men and boys in changing long-established and harmful attitudes, systems, and behaviour in relation to rigid gender norms and masculinity, which perpetuate inequality and violence. Its work is preventative: to stop violence before it starts.

Becoming involved in the White Ribbon campaign is an opportunity to join others in speaking to society about embodying a love that does not insist on its own way. As an ambassador for White Ribbon, I have promised “never to use, excuse, or remain silent about men’s violence against women”.

That violence is all too present, both in the Church and wider society. In Gloucester, where I live, Hollie Gazzard, a 20-year-old hairdresser, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in February 2014. Despite seeking help from the police, Hollie was not protected adequately. Her story highlights the urgent reality of violence against women and has inspired a trust in her name, which works to educate and to prevent such violence. There are countless women in similar situations near us all.

As Christians, will we choose to act in love and justice, or allow such violence to continue unchallenged? Violence against women is a profound violation of the love and dignity inherent in all of God’s creation. Only by taking a stand can we pave the way for compassion and action, ensuring that tragic stories such as Hollie’s are neither expected nor accepted.

IN THE wider Church, we are beginning this work with the national church institutions (NCIs). The NCIs, now accredited by White Ribbon UK, are committed to working alongside their staff to be alert to violence against women, report it, and support those who experience it. The Bishop of Hull, Dr Eleanor Sanderson, is also an ambassador, amplifying our collective commitment to making the Church a place of safety and change, together with many members of the College of Bishops who have shown their support for this cause.

This builds on the Church’s longstanding involvement with the Mothers’ Union, whose “Rise Up” campaign is an integral part of the national effort to end violence against women and girls.

At the launch of our work at the College of Bishops in September, I spoke about my hope that what we are doing with the NCIs will soon be taken up by dioceses, parishes, and chaplaincies, linking with other national and local groups committed to ending domestic violence. White Ribbon’s unique contribution to this coalition is its focus on men and boys, enabling us to play a particular part in this vital work changing our culture.

This call will be emphasised this year through our observance of White Ribbon Day on 25 November, which is also designated by the United Nations as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women — and the 16 days of activism that follow. It is a chance for men to hold ourselves accountable and to play our part in bringing about the change that we long to see. It is an opportunity to take another step towards changing the prevailing culture and ending violence by men against women — an opportunity that, I hope, many will join me in embracing eagerly.