Men and Sexual Violence
Sexual Assault is considered by many to be solely a women's issue. However, many men are profoundly affected by violence and abuse.
Men are seen as perpetrators of all violence, and anytime one man commits an act of violence the stereotype of all men as aggressive and violent individuals is reinforced in the social mind.
More importantly violence can affect men directly, either as the victim of violence or as a witness to violence perpetrated upon friends and loved ones. Some estimates place a man's lifetime chances of being victim to some type of physical violence or sexual abuse at 1 in 6.
Also, men can be deeply affected if someone close to us has been assaulted or in an abusive relationship. 1 in 4 women is assaulted by the time she turns 21. These women include our friends, girlfriends, sisters, and our mothers. If someone you know has experienced an assault and you'd like more information on how you can help, please visit our Gender and Sexual Violence Overview page.
Men have a crucial role in challenging our society to no longer tolerate violence and abuse. UWF men can become directly involved by:
- Joining Men for Violence Prevention (MVP)- a sexual assault education group that is open to both men and women
- Joining the Peer Educators
- Participating in the Women's Studies Conference
For more information on how to get involved, please contact Wellness Services at email@example.com.
Were you a victim of or did you witness a bias incident? Please see our Bias Response Team web site to learn what to do!