Finally a Rape Prevention Campaign Targeted Towards Men

[Ian David]

MyStrength is a project of the California Department of Health Services and the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA), a statewide coalition of rape crisis centers and prevention programs founded in 1980.

Update 1/3/2012 3:50pm EST: The campaign was first launched by Men Can Stop Rape in Washington, DC public high schools in February 2001 but the posters weren’t released until 2007.

Men Can Stop Rape also has a program called the Men of Strength (MOST) Club, a primary prevention program for male youth in the country, that has provided middle and high school age men with a space to learn about healthy masculinity and translate learning into community leadership.



More:
http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/01/finally_a_rape_prevention_campaign_targeted_towards_men.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A


See also:

Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Pulls Ad That Blames Women For Getting Date-Raped
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024162

[Warpy]

1. While I wish it had said "ONLY men can stop rape"

it's definitely a step in the right direction. The addition of a gay couple is also great since men are also victimized, albeit more rarely than women are.

[Tansy_Gold]

5. I would like to see a companion campaign

that says, "YOU CAN SAY NO whenever you want."

Too often one partner feels pressured and then feels to blame.

It's okay to say no. You don't have to give a reason. You don't even need a reason. Just say no.
And when the other person says no, ACCEPT IT.

[joeglow3]

26. This mindset stopped my male friend from reporting what a woman did to him

He wanted to wait until marriage to have sex. He got plowed at a fraternity party in college and passed out in his study room. He woke up to his date riding him. Apparently, she stripped him, got him hard and hopped on.

I agree that rape is mainly the result of men, but we should be interested in supporting all people and preventing their victimization.

[seabeyond]

2. " middle and high school age men" boys. they are boys. a start to providing healthy masculinity

is identifying a man and a boy. and it is ok, too. it is not an insult to call a boy a .... boy. that being said

i am so thrilled and excited and yea....

thanks for this. gonna go into link and read up.

thank you

[REP]

6. I think there's a good reason to use "men" instead of "boys"

"Boys will be boys." How many times is that phrase used to excuse all sorts of inexcusable behavior?

"Be a man.". "Man up." "A real mensch." These are phrases used to mean taking responsibility, being honorable, having character.

We can agree/disagree about the rightness/wrongness of these phrases, but they're out there and they do carry that weight.

This campaign is trying to address one facet of our society (and does it well, I think). Trying to change connotations that most people have when they hear 'boys' and 'men' as well is asking too much at once.

[seabeyond]

12. i get that and can respect that and .... not. raising boys, i heard more men address them as men

at 2 yrs old.

and not in a good way.

how many girls do we call women. how many women do we call women.

there were three words i had to desensitize myself to. liberal. femininst. woman. now that i am free of the constriction of these words, it is the best. and puts things in place.

you see it as boys will be boys. i see it as manning up our young boys before their time. sucking in the emotions. dont cry like a girl. ect....

they are not men. and should not see themselves as men. and there should be a societal clear line between the two.

imo

i know they did it purposely. we know why they did it. and that says something in itself, that we have to pretend, to be able to address our boys.

it is starting out in a lie, regardless of the well intentions.

and this campaign is about blunt truth, to be heard. and man up and listen.... i say in and not.

[bemildred]

3. Good. nt

[Tansy_Gold]

4. Thank you.

After all the years on DU and all the discussions about rape, about how it's not about the victim, etc., etc., etc., this is wonderful to see.

I will be spreading this as far and as wide as I can.

[msongs]

7. is abercrombie and fitch desiging the ads? nt

[Ian David]

9. Maybe that's why the woman in the first picture seems to have changed her mind to "yes." n/t

[CrispyQ]

8. Outstanding!

Going to check their site out.

[Brickbat]

10. Excellent. K&R.

[LadyHawkAZ]

11. Oh, the fun I've had today with this on Facebook

When I posted it, one of the men on my friends list racked up 4 or 5 posts attacking the idea that a) sex with a drunk woman is rape and b) sex with a drunk WIFE is rape and c) pressuring a woman, drunk or otherwise, until she caves in is rape, until I spotted it and gave him the boot.

One of the orgs on my list posted it after me and the first comment was from a man complaining that it put all the blame on men for rape and was sexist; after all, a campaign aimed at 99% of rapists is obviously sexist for not including that 1%.

Can't WAIT to see what happens next.

[seabeyond]

13. interesting. wow. and consistent. tht is why this is great to see. hm. nt

[LadyHawkAZ]

15. They're never around to complain about sexism

when posters pop up telling women how they shouldn't dress or where they shouldn't walk etc. Funny how it becomes sexist when it targets rapists rather than victims.

[seabeyond]

16. isn't it, though. and really obvious. nt

[Ian David]

18. Maybe they should also make a poster telling women not to rape other women, and not to rape men.

If for no other reason than to silence morons who have a problem with a campaign telling men not to rape women.

[Odin2005]

21. There are some folk here that think raping a drunk woman is A-OK.

[seabeyond]

25. be fair. only if the woman wakes up long enough to say.... wha you stoppin fo... before she passes

out again

[Nye Bevan]

30. Am I a rapist?

A couple of weeks ago my wife and I both had a few beers, then made love. She was definitely over the legal limit for driving. Does this fall under your (b) "sex with a drunk wife is rape"?

Might I suggest that what you meant to say (and with which I would agree) is that "sex with a very drunk, or drugged, unconscious or semi-conscious woman, who is clearly in no position to give consent, is rape"? If you are going to maintain that having sex with a woman whose BAC exceeds 0.08 (the legal definition of "drunk" in most states) you will lose the support of many DUers.

[seabeyond]

32. and the woman that then uses your exact acceptable words

"sex with a very drunk, or drugged, unconscious or semi-conscious woman, who is clearly in no position to give consent, is rape"?

will then have a guy that say, so i raped my wife? last week my wife was very very drunk and we.......

a PERSON knows when they are abusing, taking advantage, using another. it is that simple.

it is not a mystery. we feel it within. we know when we cross the line

[LadyHawkAZ]

33. Yes, it was what I meant to say

there is a clear difference between a couple having a few drinks and following it up with sex (fun for everyone, whee!), and one person being semiconscious or unconscious altogether, or saying no and being too drunk to enforce it (fun for only one person, boo).

You get the difference. Compare your judgement to this quote left on my page by the guy I kicked:
"But she was drunk, but we were married so I knew she not only wouldn't mind, she preferred it because she's so up tight sober, so we did it and nothing bad happened during or after."

I was married to a guy who no doubt still thinks pinning me to the bed by my throat was "persuasion". That kind of comment, where the man claims to know better than the woman what it is she wants, raises a HUGE red flag.

[one_voice]

14. This is a good thing!...

glad to see it happening.

[Spazito]

17. That is very good to see...

I really like the way the message is communicated and the compilation of situations it reflects.

Thanks for posting this.

Recommended.

[PeaceNikki]

19. Jackson Katz has been trying to change this paradigm for some time, too.

http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2008/06/02/jackson-katz-violence-against-women-is-a-mens-issue

Another reason why Katz has a problem with people using women's issues to describe violence against women is the issue of perpetration and who is responsible for perpetrating these acts. "Take rape for example," said Katz. "Over 99 percent of rape is perpetrated by men, but it's a women's issue?"

Kats said one underlying problem is that college campuses tend to focus on the prevention of rape and sexual violence. "But the term prevention in not really prevention; rather, it's risk reduction," Katz said. "These programs focus on how women can reduce their chances of being sexually assaulted. I agree that women benefit from these education programs, but let us not mistake this for prevention."

"If a woman has done everything in her power to reduce her risk, then a man who has the proclivity for abuse or need for power will just move on to another woman or target," Katz added. "It's about the guy and his need to assert his power. And it's not just individual men, it's a cultural problem. Our culture is producing violent men, and violence against women has become institutionalized. We need to take a step back and examine the institutionalized polices drafted by men that perpetuate the problem."

It's a wonderful read.

Thanks for posting this!

[ProfessionalLeftist]

29. His book "The Macho Paradox"

is a must-read for men. (IMO)

[Odin2005]

20. Awesome!

[etherealtruth]

22. Excellent!!!

Thank you so much for posting

[joshcryer]

23. This is so good, much better than that shame campaign they tried...

...with the very disgusting pics of the ladies.

[Texas Lawyer]

24. I really liked this campaign:

See http://www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/news/stop-rape/

[Nye Bevan]

31. 11. Even for famous movie directors, it's not OK to drug and anally rape 13-year old girls (nt).

[getdown]

37. well done

in the un-stupid nation of Scotland!! lol

[PhoenixAbove]

27. K&R n/t

[icymist]

28. I like these.

I hope to see more of this. I see nothing wrong with these. The men still look 'manly' while they are abiding to their partner's wishes. I think these are good.

[raccoon]

34. K&R. nt

[BlancheSplanchnik]

35. Finally. About time, dammit.

I remember about 5 years ago, heard a PSA on AirAmerica. It was encouraging parents (Dads) to talk to their sons--about remembering that women/girls are people, to treat women and girls as they'd want to be treated, not to harm women/girls...that the messages/images they see about women/girls are false...

I nearly drove into a ditch, I was so surprised. That's sad, isn't it?

What's sadder is that i only heard that PSA once. Maaaaaaybe twice.....and then it disappeared.

Nothing similar took its place.


I hope THIS message continues.

[getdown]

36. god we are a stupid nation

it has to be SPELLED OUT in big ol LETTRS? DUMB AS A ROCK?

ho boy

lets continue, by building healthy concepts about appropriate use of their power into children even younger, eh?

shit

[MineralMan]

38. It's a pity there has to be an ad campaign.

I don't remember ever having a problem stopping when she said stop. If she wasn't into it, I wasn't either. It's no fun if both parties aren't eager participants, if you ask me.