1 Approach gender violence as a MEN'S issue involving men of all ages and socioeconomic, racial and ethnic backgrounds. View men not only as perpetrators or possible offenders, but as empowered bystanders who can confront abusive peers. www.fas.harvard.edu/~osapr 731 Holyoke Center 1350 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 2 If a brother, friend, classmate, or teammate is abusing his female partner -- or is disrespectful or abusive to girls and women in general -- don’t look the other way. If you feel comfortable doing so, try to talk to him about it. Urge him to seek help. Or if you don’t know what to do, consult a friend, a parent, a professor, or a counselor. DON’T REMAIN SILENT! 3 Have the courage to look inward. Question your own attitudes. Don't be defensive when something you do or say ends up hurting someone else. Try hard to understand how your own attitudes and actions might inadvertently perpetuate sexism and violence, and work toward changing them. OSAPR provides information and support for student survivors of violence, their friends and partners, accompaniment for medical care at UHS / Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital (for medical evidence collection), referrals to community agencies and police if requested. 4 If you suspect that a woman close to you is being abused or has been sexually assaulted, gently ask if you can help. 5 If you are emotionally, psychologically, physically, or sexually abusive to women, or have been in the past, seek professional help NOW. 6 Be an ally to women who are working to end all forms of gender violence. Support the work of campus-based women's centers. Attend "Take Back the Night" rallies and other public events. Raise money for community-based rape crisis centers and battered women's shelters. If you belong to a team or fraternity, or another student group, organize a fundraiser. OSAPR 24-hour Information and Support: (617) 495-9100 7 Recognize and speak out against homophobia and gay-bashing. Discrimination and violence against lesbians and gays are wrong in and of themselves. This abuse also has direct links to sexism (eg. the sexual orientation of men who speak out against sexism is often questioned, a conscious or unconscious strategy intended to silence them. This is a key reason few men do so). 8 Attend programs, take courses, watch films, and read articles and books about multicultural masculinities, gender inequality, and the root causes of gender violence. Educate yourself and others about how larger social forces affect the conflicts between individual men and women. 9 Don't fund sexism. Refuse to purchase any magazine, rent any video, subscribe to any Web site, or buy any music that portrays girls or women in a sexually degrading or abusive manner. Protest sexism in the media. The mission of the Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response is to provide leadership in creating a Harvard community free from sexual and interpersonal violence and harassment. We are committed to supporting and empowering survivors of violence. We believe in preventing violence through education, personal and collective accountability, and social change. 10 Mentor and teach young boys about how to be men in ways that don't involve degrading or abusing girls and women. Volunteer to work with gender violence prevention programs, including anti-sexist men's programs. Lead by example. Copyright 1999, Jackson Katz. www.jacksonkatz.com Order#294685096 Cover statistics issued by rainn.org and David Lisak, PhD Harvard Men Against Rape Harvard Men Against Rape (HMAR) seeks to foster a fellowship of men dedicated to: exploring their personal relationship with a culture supportive of interpersonal violence, preventing the occurrence of interpersonal violence within the Harvard community, We bring nationally recognized speakers, such as Byron Hurt (right) and Jackson Katz (below), to Harvard’s campus to educate the student body on issues of masculinity, sexism, and sexual violence. supporting the historical and ongoing resistances of women, men, and children to interpersonal victimization, and promoting the necessary presence of men in the international anti-interpersonal violence movement. We partner with established programs and organizations involved in the fight against sexual and domestic violence, providing assistance such as collecting supplies for local women’s shelters. HMAR was recently revived to provide men with an outlet in a cause that many men care about but in which they do not always feel welcomed. It is a relatively young organization and your contributions can go a long way towards building Harvard’s effort to join a growing international effort of college men resisting campus cultures that tolerate interpersonal violence. Order#294685096 As a part of the Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (OSAPR) Student Alliance, we act as liaisons between OSAPR and the student body. We provide a voice for student concerns regarding Harvard University’s sexual misconduct policies and outreach. We look critically at how our own behaviors and attitudes might contribute to a campus culture that tacitly supports sexism and violence, and challenge each other to pursue a full, healthy vision of masculinity. Men are victims too - We don't like to think about it but sexual violence is perpetrated against men as well. Studies show that 10-20% of men are sexually assaulted in their lifetimes. Sexual violence confines men - When some men rape, and when 80% of those who are raped know their attackers, it becomes difficult to distinguish men who are safe from those who are dangerous. The result is a society with its guard up, where relationships with men are approached with mistrust, and where all men are labeled "potential rapists." Men know survivors - Due to the high prevalence of sexual violence, all of us know survivors. Men should be prepared to respond with sensitivity and compassion should a friend, family member, or intimate partner disclose to them. Men can stop sexual violence - Nearly all of sexual violence is perpetrated by men. These men are our friends and family members. We all have a role in challenging them and promoting a safer culture where men are free to break away from violent social norms. Adapted from Men Can Stop Rape If you are interested in joining, volunteering, or simply stopping by a meeting to see what HMAR is all about, contact Gordon Braxton (617-496-5630, gbraxton@fas.harvard.edu).
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