Just came from the Take Back the Night event...about 150 students were in attendance. A great jump from the last one I attended! The speaker Russ Funk, spoke to the guys, mainly. In how to be vocal and visible in leading other men, to stop tolerating negative talk and actions against women.
It changes the responsibility and places it where it belongs....on crimes against women perpetrated by men....on men. It isn't how women dress etc, but how other men speak up or stay silent.
What will make the difference is when men stop tolerating men demeaning women.
When it becomes socially unacceptable to disrepect women...when men stand up against other men, we will see changes in our society.
Oddly, most of these types of events, of creating awareness have been started by women. It is good to see men getting involved. Until they do, we will not see the kinds of changes our society needs to lower the rates of crimes against women.
Instead of being victims screaming out for awareness, we will have men stepping in and making men accountable for their actions. When men no longer tolerate men behaving badly, women's lives will change.
Thanks to the guys who came....who walked with us.
