Argyle have today launched a new partnership with Plymouth based organisation M.A.N. Culture, aiming to shine a light on the reality of male violence against women and girls.
The partnership begins with the launch of the campaign, Stand Up, Stand Together, highlighting simple, everyday actions and examples of male allyship that men and boys can take to help women and girls feel safe.
M.A.N. Culture aims to enable culture change by being open and listening to the views and opinions of the men and boys in Plymouth, while challenging behaviours that cause the fear and harm of male violence.
With M.A.N. Culture, we want to provide a space to have honest conversations about masculinity and male violence, address cultural issues regarding equality and stand up to harmful behaviours that may occur in society.
Upon the announcement, Chairman Simon Hallett, commented: “At Argyle we aim to make a welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds, and partnerships such as this help to make that possible.
“Women face difficulties every day that as men we cannot fully understand until we listen and learn from those experiences. The work of M.A.N Culture is so important in making those conversations a reality.
“We hope this partnership provides an opportunity for men to have honest conversations around masculinity and male violence, and address cultural issues and harmful behaviours.
“This is the start of a partnership that we hope can go from strength to strength and resonate throughout the football world.”
Andy Hodges, M.A.N. Culture Co-Founder, added: “We are delighted to launch our first campaign, ‘Stand Up, Stand Together’, in partnership with Plymouth Argyle during this year’s 16 Days of Activism.
“As an organisation, we want to call men in and remind them that you don’t have to be perfect – you just have to start. Start having the conversations. Start recognising the realities that women and girls face every day. Start challenging the behaviours and attitudes that enable male violence.
“Violence against women and girls is not the responsibility of women, and it should never be a burden they are left to face or solve alone. We all have a part to play, and we hope this campaign shows that change is possible when we stand up and stand together.
“At M.A.N. Culture, we recognise and understand that culture change doesn’t happen overnight. We all have to start somewhere, and opening up these conversations and becoming better allies to women and girls is key to that change.
“We are especially proud to have released this campaign in partnership with Plymouth Argyle, a club so deeply woven into the fabric of this city. We know how important football – and this club – are to so maybe people in Plymouth, and we hope that by coming together we can start to create the culture change that is so desperately needed.”
Violence against women and girls is at epidemic levels, with 3,000 offences reported each day in England and Wales. At least 1 in every 12 women will be a victim per year, with the exact number expected to be much higher. But it doesn’t have to be that way - Small, but positive actions of male allyship can contribute to real cultural change.
The launch of the campaign aligns with the start of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, an international initiative that begins on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls and concludes on 10 December, International Human Rights Day.
The campaign will be marked at this weekend’s game against Northampton Town at Home Park.
An array of activities will be taking place with M.A.N. Culture members, located in the Biffa Fan Zone, to speak with supporters, spark important conversations and take a stand against violence towards women and girls.
For more details and information about M.A.N. Culture and its ‘Stand Up, Stand Together’ campaign, please visit manculture.co.uk.
