"A Call to Men:" Anyone here heard of this organization?

[YoungDemCA]

A CALL TO MEN is a leading national violence prevention organization providing training and education for men, boys and communities. Our aim is to shift social norms that negatively impact our culture and promote a more healthy and respectful definition of manhood. We believe that preventing domestic and sexual violence is primarily the responsibility of men. Although historically it has been almost entirely women who have been at the forefront addressing this issue, we think it is essential that men play a primary role in the solution. To do that, well-meaning men…men who, for the most part don't see themselves as part of the problem…need to get involved. Our vision is to shift social norms that define manhood in our culture and create a world where women and girls are valued and safe.

A CALL TO MEN recognizes that the underlying causes of violence and discrimination against women are rooted in the ways women and girls have been traditionally viewed and treated in our society. We provide men and boys with tools, practical methods and strategies to understand this connection and how to positively address these social issues. We partner with schools, universities, corporations, government, social service agencies and communities to end all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls.

A CALL TO MEN invites men to join us and become the solution by creating a better world for our daughters, our sons, our sisters, our mothers and ultimately ourselves! Our call is to good men, well meaning men, men who care about the women and girls in their lives. Men who believe in fairness and equality. Men who want their daughters and other women to be valued and safe. We encourage men to challenge the social norms that keep us locked in the "Man Box". Our liberation as men is directly tied to the liberation of women.

We envision men as part of the solution - as viewing women as true equals, considering a woman’s humanity before her body parts, and no longer believing that when she is in a relationship, she is a man’s property.

http://www.acalltomen.org/

[Squinch]

1. This is interesting. When I read their name, I assumed it would be an MRA group. I wish

them great success, and it's nice to see a group like this.

[littlemissmartypants]

2. Ditto. eom

[freshwest]

3. VIDEO ~ Gloria Steinham supports it:

Turn up the sound as her voice is faint.

I hope it will counteract the negative groups who promote sociopathy and misogyny.

We had a power outage with no power for day, so I tuned my portable radio on and most of it was utter trash.

I spun the dial and heard, even though it made me feel a bit creepy, a local Christian radio show. It was not one of the hateful chain productions. The men were talking about their own responsibility for happiness in the home.

It boiled down to listening and showing respect and to helping the wife, said if she is unhappy, it's up to you to make things right. Not sure about that as it sounds a bit patronizing, but it's a start to listen. Said a woman's concerns should not be brushed aside just because they may not be understood.

I was expecting them to go into the territory of telling the wife what was right or wrong, trying to change her behavior. They never did, they said it was up to men to change their own behavior to make the marriage work, not ignore or dismiss. So many marriages fail because the wife is seen as the one with the problem. I think both can have them, but it needs to acknowledged.

Anyway...

[BlueJazz]

4. I've read quite a bit about this group and so far, I find no actions that make me cringe.

(or Puke).

Hey!...it's a start.

[ismnotwasm]

5. Yes

Our History: Born out of the Battered Women's Movement

Ten years ago co-founders Tony Porter and Ted Bunch sent an open invitation to a modest network of people working in the field of domestic violence and sexual assault asking them to attend a presentation entitled “A Call to Men – Becoming Part of the Solution”. Tony and Ted wanted to talk to men. They wanted to raise awareness of the importance of bystander intervention and of what “well meaning” men who do not batter or sexually assault women have in common with those who do. They recognized that in our society all men (on some level) are socialized to devalue women, treat women as objects and as the “property” of men. While offending individuals certainly need to be held accountable for abusive and violent behavior, what they identified was that violence and discrimination against women and girls is a larger social ill requiring a social response. A reponse that needed to come from men!

It was amazing how quickly enthusiasm and support for the "A CALL TO MEN" approach to solving this problem flourished into a network of men committed to ending all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls. Our organization continues to expand and grow nationally and internationally, redefining and reshaping ideas about manhood. We are committed to creating a world were all men and boys are loving and respectful and all women and girls are valued and safe

http://www.acalltomen.org/about-us/our-vision