A series of portraits that sees men from across the UK use their voices to speak up and help end men’s violence against women and girls has been unveiled as part of a nationwide campaign.

Part of a creative collaboration between charity White Ribbon UK and award-winning photographer Claudia Janke, the portraits form part of the charity’s We Speak Up campaign, which spotlights 16 men across the UK who are using their voices to help end men’s violence against women and girls – with stats revealing that 1 in 4 women will be the victim of sexual assault or attempted assault in their lifetime.

The newly released images feature sixteen White Ribbon Ambassadors from a wide range of backgrounds – from firefighters and lawyers to mentors and community volunteers – who have each chosen to speak up against misogyny, harassment, and harmful gender stereotypes all of which can lead to more serious forms of gender-based violence.

The portraits, which will go on public display in Milton Keynes, mark a visual celebration of allyship for White Ribbon Day (25th November) and the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. Each is accompanied by a short video in which the men share their motivation for speaking up and their reflections on how positive change begins.

Among those featured is Sal Naseem, former Director of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), who investigated high-profile cases of police-perpetrated violence. Reflecting on his experience, Sal said: “When I started on the journey, I was kidding myself about how good a male ally I was. Not through intention, but through ignorance. I didn’t know what I didn’t know. The starting place is honesty with yourself, and building out from that. Having conversations with the people you trust in your life, and moving from intention to some form of action.”

Jerome Martello, 45, from London, works for a local authority violence reduction unit, focusing on young people and reducing violence against women and girls. A former kickboxer he draws on his lived experience to guide young men towards empathy and emotional awareness. “Where can men start? It’s about really challenging yourself. Realising the beauty that comes with being in a situation where your usual way of thinking, your usual way of doing things is challenged. Being around people that can offer you different perspectives. Realising and learning how pivotal your role is in making a difference and having an impact.”

Adam Moghadas, 55, a family lawyer from Cambridge, channels his own upbringing into his advocacy for families affected by domestic abuse. “I think it’s always possible to speak up. As long as people are being called out for it. If they’re having to think about what they’re saying. Then hopefully, they will reevaluate their views, reevaluate what they’re prepared to say, reevaluate the way they behave – that’s the important part.”

For Mat Taylor, 42, a Perpetrator Policy Programme Manager from Wales and long-standing White Ribbon Ambassador, allyship is a lifelong practice. “​​A lot of what we see in terms of the media, good news stories don’t sell. We don’t hear about good men. We don’t hear about men who are willing to stand alongside women and try to understand their experiences to make it better for them.”

Together, the portraits showcase a diverse group of men who share one message – that allyship is about awareness and accountability, but also speaking up.

The portrait series was created by Claudia Janke, a London-based artist who has spent more than two decades documenting human rights and women’s equality movements worldwide. Using a traditional instant box camera, her approach is deliberately slow and collaborative – a process built on patience and connection between photographer and sitter.

Speaking about the project, Claudia said: “After two decades working on projects highlightingviolence against women and girls, I created this project to call men in as allies. Through thiswork, I finally met men willing to step up, who understood that it starts with them and that it istheir responsibility to be part of the change. Hearing their motivations and seeing theircommitment was moving and powerful.”

It’s brilliant to see men speaking up in their role as a White Ribbon UK ambassadors. We’re seeing more men from all backgrounds using their voices to stand up for women and girls in everyday situations, and our ambassadors help make speaking up the norm. This is so important in challenging and changing the culture that enables violence against women and girls. Every time someone stays silent, it’s a missed opportunity to stand up for what’s right.

Cara Higgs, Community Strategy Manager at London Northwestern Railway who sponsor the project, added:
“As a White Ribbon accredited organisation, we are committed to keeping our communities safe and connected. We hope that by sponsoring this exhibition, we can help to raise awareness of White Ribbon and encourage men to speak up for women and girls. Together, we’re helping to create safer journeys and a safer society free of abuse and violence.”

The We Speak Up portraits will be on display at centre:mk shopping centre in Milton Keynes, from 25th November to 10th December 2025 to coincide with White Ribbon Day and the UN’s 16 Days of Activism.

All portraits and accompanying videos are available to view online ahead of the exhibition launch at https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/wespeakup and across White Ribbon UK’s social media channels.

A short film introducing the campaign can be viewed here: