Engaging Young Men in Violence Prevention
Young men, more than any other groups of males, are the target of popular culture's messages about manhood; yet typically, they have no safe space to question what is expected of a "real man." And young men are rarely presented with positive versions of masculinity that challenge gender-based violence.
Because the dominant stories of how to be a man are so pervasive, and are especially powerful during youth, it is important to realize that young men need long-term support from different sources to embrace alternative visions of masculinity and become engaged in preventing gender-based violence. In other words, they need to feel that they are part of a community of change.
We can help provide that safe space and community. We can serve as role models and mentors. We can reach out to young men in many different places and in many different ways.
As prevention advocates, we can:
- Distribute information
- Conduct workshops
- Help young men organize events addressing violence against women
- Run a media campaign providing young men with healthy choices
- Conduct a multisession club or group
- Train peers or youth-serving professionals to engage young men
We can reach out in a variety of places:
- Public and private schools
- Faith-based youth groups
- Workplaces
- Sports events
- Concerts
- Clubs
- Universities
Examples of youth outreach include Men Can Stop Rape (MCSR) in Washington, D.C., which works with young men in high schools and universities through its Awareness-to-Action workshops, Men of Strength (MOST) Clubs, and the Strength Campaign. Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) has focused primarily on male student athletes, training them to be peer educators as part of a primary prevention model. And PROMUNDO's Guy-to-Guy program in Brazil features peer to peer training and young men performing a play in schools that addresses masculinity and violence against women.
For detailed information on how to work with young men, see 14 Steps to Effective Work with Young Men.
Reflection Questions
- Where are the best places in your community or neighborhood to meet young men and engage them in this work?
- How would you start talking with young men in order to engage them?
- What do you see as the main components of a holistic approach to engaging young men in violence prevention?
