I agree strongly with much of what has been written here -- particularly
with Renata, Cheryl and Jacquie.

What I would add, that I didn't read in the descriptions offered, is the
need to not only address raising awareness, strengthening services,
developing resources, etc... but also to challenge the foundations of
sexism, misogyny, racism and homophobia that keep men's violence in place
-- the cultural change aspects of a "coordinated" (or collaborative)
campus-community response.

Such efforts mean not only developing posters, billboards and brochures for
men (for example) but also include training men to be peers for other men;
developing men's consciousness raising groups, developing direct action
strategies that challenge media messages that promote men's violence
against women -- or at least the subjugation of women.

For example, most of you, I'm sure, know of Take Back the Night
events.  Recently I have been involved with a couple of local communities
to organize and mobilize men to "give back the night".  Recognizing that it
is men who have taken the night from women, and that, by and large, men
don't need to take back the night" anyway -- we already have it --, and
thus that is may not be the best way to show are alliance with women by
showing up at events that women organize (with little or not leadership,
initiative, or effort on our part); these men decided that symbolically it
was best for them to stay home and offer child care and elder care,
discussion groups for their men friends, do a small house party to raise
funds for the local rape crisis center, etc.

Anyway, I hope this gets my point across. Whatever our efforts, without an
eye to changing the cultural values that allow for men to see violence,
disrespect or sexism as an option; then to me, we're not doing all that we
need to be doing to end men's violence.

Rus Funk
Washington, DC
[EMAIL PROTECTED]




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