We Speak Up: Jordan Coombs

Photo: Claudia Janke

Meet Jordan Coombes, a White Ribbon UK Ambassador and Offender Manager in the prison service, committed to speaking up and taking action to help end violence against women and girls. We spoke to Jordan about his motivations for becoming an Ambassador, his experience of working in the prison service, and why men need to be active allies. 

What motivates you to be a White Ribbon Ambassador?   

Working in the prison service, I am confronted daily with the devastating impact of violence against women and girls. The stories I hear are not just statistics, they are lives torn apart by abuse, coercion and fear. This harsh reality compelled me to become a White Ribbon Ambassador. In my role, I have a unique opportunity and a responsibility to challenge harmful behaviours, confront attitudes that enable violence, and contribute to a movement determined to end it. 
 
The Casey Report into the Metropolitan Police was a wake-up call for many. For me, it reinforced the urgent need to ensure that the organisation I am part of does not fall into the same patterns of misogyny, silence or complicity. This campaign is also deeply personal. I am a father to both a son and a daughter. I was raised with strong values: to stand up against injustice, to speak out when something is wrong, and to never be a bystander. These are lessons I hope to pass on. I want my son to grow into a man who stands alongside women, who challenges abuse and inequality. I want my daughter to grow up in a world where she feels safe, empowered and heard; a world where speaking out is met with support, not dismissal. 

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

It is essential that men take an active role, not only in supporting women, but in challenging outdated and dangerous beliefs about gender. Remaining silent in the face of such views makes us part of the problem. I campaign because I believe we all have a part to play in changing our culture. I campaign because I refuse to stay silent. And I campaign because I want to help create a society that is better, fairer and safer: for my children, and for everyone.