238056 Using Their Strength: Engaging Men at Minority Institutions to Prevent Family Violence

Monday, October 31, 2011: 2:30 PM

Joseph Vess, MA , Department of Training and Technical Assistance, Men Can Stop Rape, Washington, DC
Minority serving colleges and universities historically suffer from a lack of funding and support around engaging men in preventing violence against women. This presentation discusses a promising collaboration between Men Can Stop Rape and the Office on Women's Health at the US Department of Health and Human Services who for the past two years have partnered to work with historically black, Hispanic-serving and tribal institutions to prevent first-time male perpetration of domestic, dating and sexual violence; to provide training and support for men to engage other men in prevention of violence against women; and to help men develop skills to support survivors of such violence. The program begins by helping men identify forms of traditional masculinity that are problematic—not only to women, but also for them—but the long-term focus of the project is helping men find in themselves and their communities healthier, non-violent versions of masculinity, and encouraging and supporting those. These versions of masculinity place a far greater emphasis on gender equality and violence prevention, but are often ignored or drowned out by other social messages. Group members at each school work to learn and grow personally, and to bring their communities along to become places where family violence and other forms of violence against women are not tolerated. This presentation will discuss program successes and challenges, the foundation of the program, and best practices that may be applied to other communities.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs

Learning Objectives:
Compare how family violence prevention programming is different in a variety of racial and ethnic communities. Identify successful strategies for engaging men in under served communities in preventing family violence.

Keywords: Violence Prevention, Family Violence

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I oversee and conduct violence prevention and intervention programs for colleges and universities, including minority institutions, throughout the United States.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.