Bay of Plenty Polytechnic students banded together today as they took an oath to do what they could to stop domestic violence in the community.

‘No violence is tolerable' is the message of the annual anti-violence campaign, White Ribbon.

Waikato University social worker student Taylor Delamere speaking at the event today.

Tauranga's worst violence happens at home, with police attending more than 70 callouts for family violence every week, says Community Family Violence Co-ordinator, Heather Beddie.

Heather is saddened at the levels of family violence in Tauranga Moana and says no one should live in fear.

Today at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, students rallied together to raise awareness of what Heather describes as an 'epidemic of domestic violence in New Zealand”.

'It's a real issue,” she says. 'Domestic violence is an issue we are bringing to the forefront to raise awareness about it. It's wonderful that our younger people are getting involved in this.”

This event is something that will be put on every year by the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic to support the White Ribbon campaign.

A similar event will be held at Bethlehem College next Wednesday.

The White Ribbon annual campaign aims to lower the high incidence of family violence in New Zealand by raising public awareness and gathering support for anti-violence measures around the country.

The campaign particularly centres on men talking about family violence to other men, in ways that men understand and can relate to.

The white ribbon pledge for men is: ‘I promise never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence towards women.'