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,
[email protected]).