Follow this link to read the full article.

The study seeks to understand the factors that contribute to men’s violence and to outline some possible prevention strategies. According to the article, men who experience child abuse, in all forms, are more likely to perpetrate violence against their adult partners and also against their communities. The report takes these statistics a step further and asserts the protecting children from abuse is a necessary step in ending the cycle of violence.

What role does your agency play in promoting child welfare and creating systems of safety and support for children? Do your prevention programs support parenting initiatives as a component of your prevention efforts? What does that work look like? What resources or materials have you found to be useful in your work?

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It begs the question, are those who witness an act of violence and oppression but do nothing about it, equally as complicit as those who perpetrate it?

This case in particular challenges prevention advocates in profound ways. It challenges us to train entire school systems and not just individual students about how sexual and domestic violence look and the obligation of adults in particular to put a stop to it. It challenges us to see the rage and hurt that is coming through from individuals who have been directly or indirectly affected by this case who find themselves on both sides of the fence. From the mother of the first victim to come out against Sandusky to students rioting at Penn State University because they didn’t agree with the school’s decision to fire Paterno. Finally, it challenges us, through the overwhelming criticism that Joe Paterno is facing for his unwillingness to act, to see that our communities are staunchly against child sexual abuse and see their need to put a stop to is as a moral imperative.

The larger question that we must ask ourselves is how we can rally our communities to prevent any form of violence from happing in the first place? It is too scary to stare into the face of child sexual abuse, however, this case has not allowed us to look away. It has reminded us of how we have failed as a community and how we need to do better.

How can we talk to our communities about this case? How can we impulse them to take action? How can we create mechanisms for safety and healing?

Advertisements to sell beer to men such as Miller Lite’s “Unmanly” advertisement series and more recently, Dr. Pepper’s new Dr. Pepper 10 product which was specifically created for men, seem to project the image that it is still “manly,” in the gender-normative kind of way, to consume a product that is low in calories.

Follow this link to read this month’s article.

In order to do so, both products reflect the idea that not showing emotion, being aggressive and, most importantly, not being “feminine” defines a real man. Although both advertisements are non-threatening enough to filter in to public television, they both reinforce what Paul Kivel has called the “Man Box;” the idea that men need to behave in certain ways and project a given image of masculinity. Consequences for not fitting into the Man Box are social isolation, humiliation and even physical punishment.

What are some techniques used to help young boys understand that masculinity can exist beyond the Man Box? What techniques can help young boys and girls and, indeed, adult men and women, not keep the Man Box in place? How have can we help young people decipher through the constant bombardment of advertisements such as these?

“Is it not hypocritical of us to demand that athletes respect marriage vows and their families, but then not want those athletes to take time off during such an important time? If we don’t want boys to be boys, then should there not be mechanisms in place for men to be men?”

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From the article, one can deduce that Granderson is suggesting that paternity leave is one mechanism that can be put in place for “a man to be a man”. What other such mechanisms do you practice or have you heard of that allow for men to be fully present and a central part of their families’ lives and that of their communities? This month, I challenge you to ask that question to the people you work with, live with and are in community with.

Please click here to read the full article.

The article begs the question: as women begin to assume positions of power within our society, how does this impact traditional gender roles? What kind of work is required of us as violence prevention advocates as we prepare our communities for this transition? Clearly, given the commentary that follows the article, there is still work to be done.

In her article titled “Between Two F-Words: Fathering and Feminism,” Andrea Doucet discusses the sometimes-tumultuous relationship between feminism and fathering, and how the gendered challenges that both men and women face are an important aspect to consider when thinking about men’s roles in society and in the family.

View the full article here. 

She argues that involving men in the more “mothering” aspects of parenting would radically change the gender roles that currently exist, and would challenge the narrowly framed picture of fatherhood as it is now—that of a breadwinner and authoritative figure with reduced obligations to care for children. She brings up an interesting point to consider—when mothers leave their children, they are seen as villains to society, and are judged with a harshness and severity that is often impossible to combat or defend, even if they return. However, when men leave their families, it is often viewed as a regrettable yet ordinary event, and should he return, he is often praised for coming back—caring for children is still seen as a choice for most men, not an obligation. This is just one example of how men and women remain judged, treated and viewed differently as parents—something that continues to perpetuate gender roles and inequality.

Are feminism and fathering irreconcilable? This article not only argues that they are interconnected, but that broadening the framework of fatherhood and getting men more involved in caring for their children will dramatically transform gender roles and support women’s advocacy—and these are crucial steps to a world without violence and gender inequality.

There are of course many different possible make-ups of familial structures, but thinking about men’s roles in their families provides us with a space to reflect on gendered challenges that both men and women face, and how these challenges relate to power dynamics and violence. What are some ways to connect fatherhood and traditional men’s roles with systems of violence and power? Can a focus on fatherhood create an opportunity for men to engage with and reflect on issues of IPV? Can it serve as a vehicle for prevention?

Follow this link to read full article.

The anti-violence world describes the dismissal of abusive behavior as collusion. Specifically, it is a process whereby a group facilitator or group participants condone abusive behavior through dismissal, inaction, laughter, going along with statements made, etc.

Collusion can happen in very overt and subtle ways.  Indeed, it is a challenge not to collude when the alleged perpetrator is charismatic and popular or powerful and authoritative.  The normalization of violence through humor and group think further challenges even those of us who are conscience of not perpetrating violence.

What are some tactics you have employed to interrupt collusion in a group setting? Have you always been able to catch it? How have you set up systems of accountability to examine personal biases as leaders in the anti-violence movement?  What is the role of self-reflection in domestic and sexual violence prevention?

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The author highlights the hope that exists for our community through the awareness, intervention and prevention work we are doing.

How does violence prevention work on college campuses look like? What tactics or tools are used in order to ensure that men in all-male or mixed gender groups are treated not only as perpetrators or potential perpetrators, but also as victims, witnesses and bystanders to violence? How is the full range of experiences that men and women may have with violence honored? When people assert: “men are victims too,” what is the response that is generally given and how does that response set the tone for the rest of the discussion?

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If we approach prevention work by examining the root causes of violence it becomes apparent that Intimate Partner Violence does not exist in a vacuum and that it is intrinsically connected to other forms of violence and oppression like homophobia, transfobia, sexism, classism, racism, adultism, ableism, etc. In our work to create a society where IPV does not exist, we would need to dismantle these other systems of oppression that are in place which create the conditions for IPV to occur. But, where do we start?

This article talks about a positive way of approaching this issue by taking a human rights approach. According to the article, teaching young people about their human rights, helped to reduce bullying and behavioral problems in their schools.

In your violence prevention work with men and boys, have you used a human rights approach as a primary prevention strategy? Can a focus on root causes of violence created another opportunity for men and boys to connect more with the issue of IPV? How so?  What tools or techniques have you utilized to address root causes of violence?

Unfortunately, the tactic of labeling women as loose in order to discredit their work and keep them from gaining a position of power is not new. It is a well-established tool of sexism that continues to work and elicit the same response. Well, Ball is not going to just allow this to fly by without calling it what it is.

In her campaign’s Facebook page last Wednesday she stated:

“It’s sexist and it’s wrong, regardless of political party. And I have a message for any young woman who is thinking about running for office and has ever attended a costume party with her husband or done anything stupid on camera. Run for office. Fight for this country. Don’t let this sort of tactic deter you.”

One article covering the Ball photo scandal compares her situation to a male political figure, Scott Brown, who posed nude for Cosmo magazine in the 80s. According to the columnist, the pictures of Brown actually helped his political career.

To read the full article follow this link.

That columnists further inquires:

“Why is it that the media goes haywire over a suggestive party photo of a woman candidate and her husband, but praises the male candidate who poses nude in magazines? After a supposedly epic year for women candidates in 2008, after the year of Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton, isn’t the playing field supposed to be even for women candidates by now?”

Our question this month is: how do we create a level playing field? What are some things that we can do to not allow the next generation of girls to face a similar society that devalues and discredits her as she tries to gain power? What are the roles that men and boys could play in creating that field?

What are some ideas of things you have done or will do to create a level playing field? For those of us working in school settings, perhaps one possibility is to use this article as a launching point for discussion. What are other suggestions?