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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/mar/26/domestic-violence-against-women
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| Violence against women is an issue for men too | Violence against women is an issue for men too |
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| For too long women have stood alone. When it comes to violence against women, too many of us still think it's "just" a women's issue. In particular, it is about time MPs took this seriously. Here's why. | For too long women have stood alone. When it comes to violence against women, too many of us still think it's "just" a women's issue. In particular, it is about time MPs took this seriously. Here's why. |
| Sexual and physical violence at the hands of a man affects a staggering 45% of women in England and Wales sometime in their lives. That's one-quarter of British voters. Voters. People who give our politicians their jobs. | Sexual and physical violence at the hands of a man affects a staggering 45% of women in England and Wales sometime in their lives. That's one-quarter of British voters. Voters. People who give our politicians their jobs. |
| Men's violence against women hits people's pockets, too: the direct costs to taxpayers of medical care, police responding to violence, courts, prisons, social workers, and refuges is £5.8bn per year. (The total cost to the economy of violence against women and girls including lost work time is estimated at £40bn per year.) Taxpayers can probably think of ways they'd rather spend that money. | Men's violence against women hits people's pockets, too: the direct costs to taxpayers of medical care, police responding to violence, courts, prisons, social workers, and refuges is £5.8bn per year. (The total cost to the economy of violence against women and girls including lost work time is estimated at £40bn per year.) Taxpayers can probably think of ways they'd rather spend that money. |
| Men's violence against women exacts a terrible toll on the children of the nation. Contemporary research by neuroscientists shows us that the 750,000 children who witness such violence each year in the UK have marked and measurable deficits in the development of their brains, particularly when the abuse they witness (or directly suffer) is ongoing and when it happens when they are very young. If the job of MPs is to build a strong future for the country, these 3 million children during one term of office should be on their minds. There are few other issues that have such a profound effect on so many people in this country. | Men's violence against women exacts a terrible toll on the children of the nation. Contemporary research by neuroscientists shows us that the 750,000 children who witness such violence each year in the UK have marked and measurable deficits in the development of their brains, particularly when the abuse they witness (or directly suffer) is ongoing and when it happens when they are very young. If the job of MPs is to build a strong future for the country, these 3 million children during one term of office should be on their minds. There are few other issues that have such a profound effect on so many people in this country. |
| This is very much an issue for men. Not only for that sizeable minority of men who use violence in their relationships, but that majority of good men who don't use violence, but who have remained silent. Why should that silence worry us? It's because boys look to men, and men look to other men to define what it means to be a man. So if we're silent in the face of rape jokes or demeaning images of women in the media, when a friend or brother abuses his wife, or when we see sexual harassment in our workplace or classroom, then boys and men will take our silence as consent. End Violence Against Women's "We Are Man" short film is a nice example of an initiative to show young men they can, and must, challenge abuse. | This is very much an issue for men. Not only for that sizeable minority of men who use violence in their relationships, but that majority of good men who don't use violence, but who have remained silent. Why should that silence worry us? It's because boys look to men, and men look to other men to define what it means to be a man. So if we're silent in the face of rape jokes or demeaning images of women in the media, when a friend or brother abuses his wife, or when we see sexual harassment in our workplace or classroom, then boys and men will take our silence as consent. End Violence Against Women's "We Are Man" short film is a nice example of an initiative to show young men they can, and must, challenge abuse. |
| I'm not talking about collective guilt or collective blame. It's more like an act of collective love for the women in our lives so they know we're working together for a world without violence against women. | I'm not talking about collective guilt or collective blame. It's more like an act of collective love for the women in our lives so they know we're working together for a world without violence against women. |
| When British men speak out against the violence, they won't be alone. When I co-founded the White Ribbon Campaign 20 years ago, it was pretty unusual for men to be speaking out. Now, at my latest count, the campaign has spread from Canada, where I live, to about 70 countries. (In some countries, like Lebanon or Mongolia, the campaign is still small, while in others, such as Australia and New Zealand, it's a huge and prominent national effort.) | When British men speak out against the violence, they won't be alone. When I co-founded the White Ribbon Campaign 20 years ago, it was pretty unusual for men to be speaking out. Now, at my latest count, the campaign has spread from Canada, where I live, to about 70 countries. (In some countries, like Lebanon or Mongolia, the campaign is still small, while in others, such as Australia and New Zealand, it's a huge and prominent national effort.) |
| At a time of cutbacks and an emphasis on local initiatives, engaging men and boys can benefit from some central initiatives to spark local action. For example, last week I met officials from the Home Office, which has launched a website aimed at teenagers called this is ABUSE. I suggested they work with other government departments (in consultation with women's groups and others) to develop tool kits that could give practical advice, resources, and templates to schools, workplaces, local authorities, religious institutions, and sports clubs on engaging men and boys. It's a low-cost initiative that could have a huge local impact. | At a time of cutbacks and an emphasis on local initiatives, engaging men and boys can benefit from some central initiatives to spark local action. For example, last week I met officials from the Home Office, which has launched a website aimed at teenagers called this is ABUSE. I suggested they work with other government departments (in consultation with women's groups and others) to develop tool kits that could give practical advice, resources, and templates to schools, workplaces, local authorities, religious institutions, and sports clubs on engaging men and boys. It's a low-cost initiative that could have a huge local impact. |
| This is one issue where MPs can inspire the nation by speaking with one united voice: whatever important issues and party affiliations divide them, they can raise their voices together to end all forms of violence against women: emotional abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, trafficking, sexual harassment at work, and murder. | This is one issue where MPs can inspire the nation by speaking with one united voice: whatever important issues and party affiliations divide them, they can raise their voices together to end all forms of violence against women: emotional abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, trafficking, sexual harassment at work, and murder. |
| For too long, women have stood alone, suffered alone or heroically resisted alone. We all owe it to the women we care so much about – our mothers and daughters, our sisters, wives and friends – to speak out as leaders, as women and men, to bring this violence to an end. Our future has no violence against women. | For too long, women have stood alone, suffered alone or heroically resisted alone. We all owe it to the women we care so much about – our mothers and daughters, our sisters, wives and friends – to speak out as leaders, as women and men, to bring this violence to an end. Our future has no violence against women. |
| • Michael Kaufman is speaking to MPs in the UK parliament about this issue today on behalf of the White Ribbon Campaign |
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