We Speak Up: Dave Waters

Photography: Claudia Janke

Meet Dave Waters, a White Ribbon UK Ambassador and Assistant Chief Fire Officer for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, committed to speaking up and taking action to help end violence against women and girls. We spoke to Dave about how he uses his voice, action, experience and position to build a better and fairer world for everyone.  

What motivates you to be a White Ribbon Ambassador?     

I’m a father to daughters and a son, a husband, a martial arts coach/competitor/business owner, and a fire service leader and in every one of those roles, I believe in modelling respect, equality, and safety. I want my daughters to grow up without fear, my son to understand the importance of empathy, allyship and accountability, and my teams and students to see that strength is for upstanding and doing the right thing. Being a White Ribbon Ambassador is about using my voice and influence to challenge unacceptable behaviour and help build a culture where violence against women and girls is never tolerated. 

Do you have a personal story or experience you’d like to share?   

A big part of why I became a White Ribbon Ambassador is because of my family. As a father to two daughters, I want them to grow up in a world where their safety is never in question. As the father of a son, I feel a deep responsibility to show him what respect, empathy, and accountability look like in action, so he grows into a man who will stand up for what’s right. 
 
That commitment extends into every part of my professional and community life. Within Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, I helped devise and delivered an award-winning workplace personal safety initiative with like-minded colleagues, giving people the skills and confidence to protect themselves and others. In my martial arts gym, I’ve created women’s-only opportunities where people can practise combat sports in a safe, comfortable environment. In the fire service, I’m focused on shaping a culture where male colleagues actively upstand and act as allies, and where female colleagues feel safer, more confident, and able to thrive in every environment. 
 
For me, being a White Ribbon Ambassador is about turning values into action, using my voice, my experience, and my position to help build a culture where violence, intimidation, and disrespect have no place. 

What message would you give to other men, to encourage them to be allies to women and girls?    

Being an ally means speaking up, challenging disrespect, and creating spaces where women and girls feel safe and valued. Being a good man/person is doing the right thing, because what you walk past, you accept.