By CASEY NEILL
“I PLEDGE to man up.”
Hallam student Sovandara Tep and his male Keysborough College peers signed this pledge during a unique approach to tackling violence against women – a Ping Pong-A-Thon.
“I will endeavour to respect and honour girls in all areas of my life,” the pledge said.
“To my mates I ask you to tell me when I get this wrong.”
The Journal and its sister papers across the south-east are supporting this message throughout November with a White Ribbon campaign called Speak Out … Challenge Family Violence.
In each edition during the month the Journal will look at different ways to tackle family violence and profile people who are leading the way.
We’ll cover community events including a Casey Multifaith Network White Ribbon Day event for faith leaders at the City of Casey Council Chambers on Thursday 20 November, and a Casey Pastors Network White Ribbon breakfast in Narre Warren on Saturday 22 November.
We’ll also be at the Great Debate: Is Family Violence a Crime? at the Drum Theatre in Dandenong on Thursday 20 November, and the second annual Walk Against Family Violence from Dandenong Market to Dandenong Civic Square on Friday 28 November.
Keysborough College was the first school to host a Ping Pong-A-Thon event, on Friday 10 October.
Male staff and students kept paddles and balls moving for 24 hours and raised almost $3000 for organisations working against human trafficking in South East Asia.
Organiser and college chaplain Jeff Andrews showed a DVD about human trafficking and presented statistics on the issue and on family violence in Australia.
“One aim we have here is to promote a healthy mindset toward women, not just overseas but in their own lives,” he said.
The national fund-raiser started in 2011 and will be held at 25 venues across Australia throughout October and November.
“I actually took two students last year to this event that was running at a church,” Mr Andrews said.
“They said ‘let’s do this next year at the school’.”
Participants played on four tables set up in the Banksia Campus gym.
“There was a midnight tournament, and a 5am doubles tournament,” Mr Andrews said.
Year 10 students Sovandara, 16, and Kamol Kin, 16, from Springvale, broke the Ping Pong-A-Thon record for the most hits in a rally.
They exchanged 9479 consecutive hits in two and a half hours – smashing the 4154 record.
“We were getting really tired, feeling dizzy, our hands were shaking and we were cramping up,” Kamol said.
“Even though it was about table tennis, which Sovandara and I really like playing, it was also about human trafficking and how women are exploited in other parts of the world.
“I think that not many people are aware of it, especially young people.
“For us to be educated about it is very important.”
Kamol was proud to sign the pledge.
“I feel like it’s a really good responsibility to uphold, and everyone should sign the pledge,” he said.
“It’s very simple and it’s so important.”
See pages 14 and 15 for more White Ribbon coverage.
