Moving Forward is the 26th TCFV Statewide Conference. It includes exceptional plenary sessions and workshops feeding the soul with inspiration, the mind with useful tools, enhancing the knowledge and giving attendees pioneering approaches to address family violence in their own communities.

Featured speakers include:

Dorothy J. Edwards Ph.D., founding Director of University of Kentucky’s Violence Intervention and Prevention Center and Jerry Tello, co-founder of the National Compadres Network and the Director of the National Latino Fatherhood and Family Institute.

Join Rachel Griffin, Michael Kimmel, Robert Jensen, Ben Atherton-Zeman, Men Can Stop Rape, and a few hundred other colleagues in exploring the broadening of our movement.

Dr. Rachel Griffin talks about how men can play a role in ending gender violence in this video.

Author, Activist, Educator, Jackson Katz examines the misogynistic behaviors of actor Mel Gibson that have been frequent in the media lately and explains why this is a “Teachable Moment.” He gives insight on beliefs of rape myths, racism, and male supremacy that hold true for Gibson, and many other white men in society today. Katz also points out how Gibson sexualizes his anger towards his ex-girlfriend (Oksana Grigorieva), and links the sexism and hostility toward women in pornography – quoting a recognized sociologist and author, Gail Dines.

CLICK HERE to read the full article.

We must all take advantage of the “Teachable Moments” highlighted in the media whenever they’re given. If this would have been a man with normal social status, it’s possible this story wouldn’t have even surfaced into the media’s forefront.

Gibson’s status as a prominent figure in society allows us to begin a dialogue with our community about the attitudes that continue to exist which allow for violence to occur in the first place. Although Gibson’s rant represents a dramatic representation of what misogyny and racism can look like, it can provide us with a jumping off point to discuss more subtle forms of violence that are perpetrated on a daily basis and which go unchecked.

CLICK HERE to read the full article.

Harvard Medical School psychologist Ronald Slaby noted that while the majority of bullying incidents are witnessed by bystanders, an intervention only occurs one-fifth of the time.  He goes on to state, “It’s almost like a game that’s being played. If you get a child to think strategically that they have a role to play as a bystander, that’s the key.”

As a Primary Prevention advocate, what techniques do you use to create ownership of the issue of violence prevention with youth? What facilitation, outreach and engagement strategies have you found to be most effective? Can something as small as limiting the amount of time we talk and letting young people draw their own conclusions, create ownership of the issue?

Finally, how can we enhance the lessons disseminated through the Cartoon Network as a state to increase the dosage of violence prevention messaging young people receive? What role do you play in that and what role do you think TCFV should play?

In this article, the authors poignantly state “the most critical element in combating relationship violence will always be a willingness by students to speak out rather than remain silent — out of fear, complacency or shame. And that’s hard to impose through policies or awareness campaigns.”

To read full article CLICK HERE.

In this way, the authors highlight the multilevel prevention efforts that are necessary to change the climate of a university.

Although it is alleged that Huguely had been aggressive toward Yeardley and others before, that aggression had not reached the point where he was kicked off the lacrosse team, suspended from school or had as much as a protective order against him. As a community we must begin to ask ourselves where we draw the line. At what point do we step in an say: this is not o.k.? Unfortunately, in many cases, it takes a tragedy such as this to really get people to step up and do something about the violence around them.

 So, our challenge for this month is to ask that question in all of the spaces that we are a part of… in our schools, at our work, in our homes, with our friends, in our congregations, in our teams, at our clubs, in the organizations that we are a part of: where do we draw the line on violence? When and how do we step up and say that’s not o.k.? Whose responsibility is that? What does that look like? How can we foster healthy non-violent communities?

 CLICK HERE To read the full article.  

This story is amazing in many respects and offers a new lens for prevention. For instance, how have parents been engaged in violence prevention work? Are they viewed as allies, as the people who most directly influence the lives of their children, as citizens with political influence at the local, state and national levels and/or as service providers who work in diverse community settings? How can outreach to parents look if we think about them in this way? Does changing our perspective change our approach — in what ways? For those on the list who are working with parents in the ways listed above, how does that work look?

A couple of months back I got to see an example of what this actually means in a prevention setting, when I attended the Green Dot Institute in Lexington, Kentucky. Dr. Dorothy Edwards spoke passionately and eloquently about the changes they have seen at the University of Kentucky after implementing Green Dot. CLICK HERE to learn more about Green Dot.  She described the changes in language, practices and social norms.

 These changes, however, are only possible within a setting that is interested and ready for such change to occur.

 We look at the University of Oregon, for example, where in the past month, six football players have been suspected of or charged with different crimes, two whom were charged with crimes of violence against women.

 CLICK HERE to read full article.

 The author of the article poses the following questions:

 “Should the athletic director and the football coach be judged and rewarded based solely on the football team’s on-field performance? Or should they be accountable for the broader effects the team has on the community and society?”

 What is our role as prevention advocates to effect culture change on university campuses? Who needs to be at the table / on board for such change to occur? What are alternative strategies that could be used when those individuals are not interested? How do we create a climate similar to the University of Kentucky’s where bystander intervention, regardless of gender and social position, are the norm?

Barton Silverman/The New York Times. Quarterback Drew Brees with his son, Baylen, after the Saints’ victory over the Colts on Sunday.

What emotions or images does your mind conjure up when you think about the Super Bowl? Perhaps you think about conquest, athletic prowess or the enactment of traditional gender roles. What perhaps is not at the forefront of your mind is affection, care and fatherhood.

This year the Super Bowl’s most valuable player, Drew Brees did something that put a nation to tears. As the nation was looking at him and applauding him for his achievement, he was sharing a private moment with his one-year-old son, seemingly unconcerned with the outside world beyond their father son interaction.

 To read full article CLICK HERE.

This moment in time evokes questions around masculinity: what does it mean to be a “real man” what behaviors, attitudes and responsibilities do we ascribe to that? How was this moment different from other great Super Bowl moments? And with the largest television audience in history, what new messages was this sending about professional male athletes?

 What are athlete’s responsibilities to our community in their positions as role models? How can this platform be used to create healthy, sustainable communities?