When we hear about issues like domestic violence or rape, almost immediately we begin to think about it as a woman’s issue. Because women are the primary victims of these attacks, historically they have been at the forefront of the movement to eradicate them. Moreover, organizations dealing with these issues are very often run for women, by women.
But there is a new movement shifting the view of the problem of violence against women as a problem for both men and women. Men Can Stop Rape (MCSR) and Men Stopping Violence (MSV) are two organizations that are forcing men to take responsibility for their part in ending violence against women, not only because men are often the perpetrators of violence, but because men are also friends, fathers, sons and brothers of both the abused and the abuser.
MCSR initiative tackles this task by focusing on high school and college-aged boys. Speaking all over the country, the organization encourages males to be allies with women by standing with them against domestic violence and rape. According to Patrick Lemmon, Co-Founder of MCSR, "most people can agree that rape is bad, but after that many men ask themselves ‘what can I do?’"
The answer is simple. Not only can men get involved with various organizations that fight for women’s rights, they can talk to their peers about the issues. This could be as easy as recognizing and speaking up against a sexist remark or a comment that dehumanizes women. According to MCSR, "rape is a choice men make to exert power over others and is, therefore, a men’s issue. As long as men continue to make this choice or to remain silent while other men are violent, rape will continue."
In February of 2001, MCSR will be starting the "Strength Campaign" in Washington D.C. Tied around the message "my strength is not for hurting," the organization will be doing a variety of workshops and public service announcements to teach men about the difference between being strong and being violent.
Men Stopping Violence’s method also focuses on education. The organization not only teaches classes for present or past abusers, but also works with various institutions that deal with abusers. Working with members of the court, the clergy and the legal system, they look to shift the responsibility of the attacks from the abused to the community. Because these are the systems that often deal with abusers, MSV train members to be aware and sensitive to the issues surrounding violence against women so the problem can be dealt with effectively. This way when a woman has the courage to fight against her attacker, she will not have to fight the system as well.
Both of these organizations are really about social change. According to Red Crowley, Publications Team Manager of Men Stopping Violence, we live "in a world that assumes male superiority, that superiority needs to be constantly demonstrated to be maintained. And very often it is demonstrated through violence." Once men recognize this and their part in upholding a culture where violence against women exists, they can begin to remove those actions from their lives. And it is only with men and women working together that violence against women will come to an end. 
