CONTENTS

About This Course

Table of Contents

1. Getting The Basics
2. Substance Abuse
3. Violence Against Women
4. Violent Men
5. Alcohol and Violence
6. Alcohol, Drugs and Sexual Assault (Date Rape)
7. Preventing Sexual Assault
8. After a Rape or Sexual Assault
9. Assistance - Women
10. Assistance - Men
11. Legal Options

Supplements
Resources
Glossary
Fact Sheets

It Won't Happen to Me:
Substance Abuse-Related Violence Against Women for Anyone Concerned About The Issues

What Men Can Do To End Male Violence Against Women

Men listen more to other men. Fathers have tremendous influence over the development of their children.

Men can help stop domestic violence and are already a large part of the community that helps women deal with family violence. The majority of the judges, police officers, and doctors who work with families in trouble are men. Some men are the neighbors, friends, and family members who support victims by reaching out and lending a hand.

Many men find it hard to join in the fight against violence against women. They may believe it is a private issue and that they are not supposed to get involved. Sooner or later, however, violence will touch everyone who knows the family. Men listen to other men, and fathers have tremendous influence over the development of their children. Men can make a difference in some of the following ways:

• Be a role model to other men. Men can reach out to help young men who are violent at home and may not have a positive male role model. Teach them their behavior is not acceptable and show them how to communicate in a positive way.
• Act as a role model to a child who lacks a good male figure in his life. Provide regular support. Help a child make a safety plan to deal with violence in the home.
• Look at how your own attitudes and actions may condone or contribute to violence and work toward changing them. Examples of typical sexist/abusive behavior include:
  
  
  • Trying to make a woman have sex
  • Whistling at women or making comments in public about their bodies (sexual harassment)
  • Following them around (stalking)
  • Embarrassing women in public
  • Trying to control women with threatening gestures, blocking doorways (intimidation)
  • Attacking women by name calling, swearing, mocking, criticizing, accusing, or otherwise abusing them psychologically
    
    
• Speak out against domestic violence. You can have a big effect by helping to change bad habits that support and enable abuse.
• Become a leader in civic organizations, such as sports clubs, churches, and neighborhood associations, and speak out against violence in the home.
• Support political candidates who believe in the full social, economic, and political equality of women.^7,8