Just launched on TV is this year’s White Ribbon Australia “I swear” campaign, which I was honoured to be invited to be a part of. Every year we get a little bit bombarded with different non-profit campaigns, but this one truly is one of the most significant.

And I say that for two reasons. Firstly because violence against women is simply one of the worst social issues destroying lives around the world; and secondly because more than any other global issue it gets swept under the carpet.

The only people who can stop it are blokes. That’s why I love the “I swear” campaign. It says to Aussie blokes that domestic violence stops when we stop. When our mates stop. Or our kids stop.

It says Aussie blokes have to take leadership position amongst the peer group and their families. That leadership from all of us says there is no excuse for domestic violence.

I’m staggered when I hear facts like: 1 in 3 women are abused physically or sexually during their lifetime, or that 60 million women and girls around the world are missing, around 70% of female murders are committed by the woman’s husband.

But don’t think it’s just happening overseas. Right here at home 1 in 3 women are physically assaulted during their lifetime, and 1 in 5 experience sexual assault. New figures show one woman every week dies at the hands of a partner or ex-partner. How about I get economic and tell you domestic violence costs the country over $13 Billion each year.

Bit of a wake-up call isn’t it? And it certainly shines a new light when we see celebs and sports stars getting into hot water over these things. That’s because it is simply inexcusable. No amount of alcohol or drugs can excuse it. No circumstance can excuse it. No blaming of social factors can excuse it.

For a bloke it should be the ultimate shame… for him, his mates and the blokes in his family.

It’s a complex topic for the fact that there is simply no explanation for it. Yet violence and abuse against women continues to mess up lives right here in Australia. Which sometimes makes thinking about a solution a pretty daunting thought.

The only explanation for this sort of behaviour that it’s a learned social attitude, which means fixing it starts with every one of us. All of us, guys and girls, have got to be better educated about the problem, more open in speaking out against it, and active in preventing it.

More importantly, every Aussie bloke can and must show leadership when it comes to taking a stance against domestic violence.

White Ribbon day is coming up in November. Go to the White Ribbon website for more info on the facts, and what you can do.