10 THINGS MEN CAN DO TO PREVENT GENDER BASED VIOLENCE

1. Approach gender based violence as a men’s issue involved men of all ages and socioeconomic, racial and ethnic backgrounds. View men not only as perpetrators or possible offenders, but as empowered bystanders who can confront abusive peers.
2. If a brother, friend, classmate, or team-mate is abusing his female partner, or is disrespectful or abusive to girls and women in general, don’t look the other way. If you feel comfortable doing so, try to talk to him about it. Urge him to seek help. Or if you don’t know what to do, consult a friend, parent, counsellor or teacher. Don’t remain silent.
3. Have the courage to look inward. Question your own attitudes and behaviour. Don’t be defensive when something you do or say ends up hurting someone else. Try hard to understand how your own attitudes and actions might inadvertently perpetuate sexism and violence. Work toward changing them.
4. If you suspect that a woman close to you is being abused or has been sexually assaulted, gently ask if you can help.
5. If you are emotionally, psychologically, physically or sexually abusive to women, or have been in the past, seek professional help NOW.
6. Be an ally to women who are working to end all forms of gender violence. Support the work of organizations that are raising awareness and address the needs of survivors of gender based violence. Raise money for community-based rape centres and women’s shelters.
7. Recognize and speak out against homophobia and gay-bashing. Discrimination and violence against lesbians and gays is wrong and this abuse also has a direct link to sexism (the unequal power relations between men and women).
8. Attend programs, take courses, watch films, and read articles and books about multicultural masculinities, gender inequality and the root causes of gender violence. Educate yourself and others about how larger social forces affect the conflicts between individual men and women.
9. Don’t fund sexism. Refuse to purchase any magazine or subscribe to any website or buy music that portrays girls and women in a sexually degrading or abusive manner. Protest sexism in the media.
10. Mentor and teach young boys about how to be men in ways that don’t involve degrading or abusing girls and women. Volunteer to work with gender violence prevention programs. Lead by example.