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The devastating reason why everyone is tweeting about White Ribbon today.

 

Content warning: This post discusses abortion and rape, and will be distressing for many readers. 

Scrolling through Twitter, every second comment seems to be mentioning White Ribbon withdrawing their support for abortion.

Yes, White Ribbon is an organisation that works to prevent men’s violence against women.

Yes, on Thursday, as first reported by Buzzfeed, the organisation withdrew a statement supporting abortion from their website; an essential procedure which should be available for all women, including the victim’s of sexual assault and domestic violence.

It doesn’t make sense. At all. And the people of Twitter were rightly furious.

Ambassador for White Ribbon, AFL player Luke Ablett, spoke out against White Ribbon’s decision, saying he will not speak on the organisation’s behalf until they changed their stance on abortion.

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His tweet was just one in a flood of tweets from powerful Australian figures.

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After the furious backlash, the CEO apologised for the decision and today tweeted that she should not have withdrawn the reproductive rights statement.

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And White Ribbon has now posted a new statement expressing support for women’s reproductive freedom.

It’s time for organisations built to protect women to actually protect the rights of women.

If this article brings up any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service.