Sydney schoolboys’ hip hop video to bust domestic violence

SCHOOLBOYS have cut a hip-hop track with a powerful anti-domestic violence message — ‘we want every woman we know to be safe’.

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“MY NAME is Mohamad, listen to me speak, one woman gets killed every single week.”

This is the voice of 11-year-old Australian rapper Mohamad Merhi — the next generation of boys fighting to end domestic violence.

His verse continues: “Stop violence against women or you’ll find yourself in prison for a very long time.”

Mohamad’s five-second rhyme is one of 13 spun by young boys in a new hip-hop clip titled We All Wear the White Ribbon, NewsLocal’s Canterbury-Bankstown Express reported.

The video begins with Year 6 Sydney schoolboys spinning in a circle shoulder to shoulder.

What follows are the heartfelt thoughts of passionate young boys on an issue that is too often swept under the carpet — even as it leaves a trail of broken women, traumatised children and sometimes the lives of victims in its wake.

The slick production is the work of south west Sydney’s Bankstown Youth Development Service, who has teamed up with multiple schools.

Music facilitator Craig Taunton said the intention was to reach young minds through performance.

Mohamad Merhi busts a rhyme for his school’s We All Wear the White Ribbon anti-domestic violence hip hop video.

“It’s a fun and creative way to tackle a very difficult issue,” Mr Taunton said.

“I really think because it is a really well-produced clip, it looks good and sounds good ... that the message will sing through to more boys out there.”

The clip, featuring Bankstown Public School students, from Sydney’s southwest, wrote their lyrics in workshops with Mr Taunton and a domestic violence counsellor last year.

In the clip, Youssef Maarbani, 11, raps about the tragedy of domestic violence.

He said his lyrics were inspired by a collective aim to protect women.

“Women are our mothers, sisters, daughters, children and we want every woman we know to be safe,” Youssef said.

Shaquille Tavita, 12, said the key to ending violence was respect.

The song is the fifth produced through a BYDS Respect program, funded by charity The Smith Family.

Originally published as Sydney schoolboys’ hip hop video to bust domestic violence