Nurturing Healthy Masculinity Within a Violence Prevention Framework Dr. Jamie FairfieldOPC 2019

HelpLine 6-26-2019

Learning Objectives

1. To define toxic masculinity and describe its role in unhealthy and abusive relationships.

2. To describe the importance of connecting with boys in violence prevention programming.

3. To discuss examples of activities that help boys develop healthy masculinity skills.

Objective 1

Correcting Misconceptions

Toxic masculinity is not a way of calling all men or masculinity as a whole toxic. Fighting toxic

masculinity is not about “feminizing” men or turning boys into girls.

Fighting toxic masculinity is not about disempowering or shaming men. Toxic masculinity dates back to the late 19th Century.

What is Toxic Masculinity?

Toxic masculinity refers to harmful and destructive behaviors often associated with traditional masculinity.

Toxic Masculinity also refers to a culture that allows, encourages, and even expects men to adhere to these traits.

Men who do not exhibit these traits are often socially punished, especially by other men.

Toxic masculinity is harmful to people of all genders.

According to a Recent Study…

In 2019, the APA released a study stating that:"Socialization for conforming to traditional masculinity ideology has been

shown to limit males' psychological development, constrain their behavior, result in gender role strain and gender role conflict, and negatively influence mental health and physical health.”

Traits focused on by the APA included

Achievement-Obsession

Anti-femininity

Risk taking

Aggression

Violence

Toxic Masculinity and Men’s Health

● 23% of adult men report binge drinking with 8 or more drinks 5 or more times per week.

● Of the 88,000 people who die annually from alcohol related causes, 62,000 are men.

● 12% of American males age 12 or older have used illegal drugs in the past month, compared to 7.3% of American females.

● Of the 15,872 gun homicides in 2016, 13,615 of the victims were men.

● Men are more than 4 times more likely to complete suicide than women.

● Every day, 3 or more boys complete suicide.

● Men are 33% less likely to seek mental health treatment for depression.

● Fewer than 50% of boys and men with depression seek treatment.

Adding the Numbers Up…

According to the CDC, 131,224 men died from toxic behaviors in 2014.

8.6% of all men’s deaths were related to toxic male behaviors.

These numbers would make it the third most common cause of death among men.

Toxic Masculinity and Violence

● In the US, men commit:

○ 90% of gun homicides

○ 96.8% of mass shootings

● 93% of all American inmatesare men.

Some Gender-Based Violence Statistics

● In the US, men are the perpetrators in:

○ 87% of all stalking cases.

○ 95% of all domestic violence cases.

○ 90% of all sexual assaults committed against women.

○ 93% of all sexual assaults committed against men.

Objective 2

History of Sexual Violence Prevention

Sexual Violence Prevention in the 1970s and 1980s focused on women learning self-defense.

This focus: • Perpetuates myths and

stereotypes about sexual assault.

• Encourages victim blaming.• Puts the onus for prevention

entirely on women.

Focusing on Risk Reduction

Encourages victim blaming. Only sees men as

perpetrators and as potential perpetrators.

Makes sexual assault prevention a “women’s issue.”

Bystander Approach

● Use the 3D’s

○ Direct

○ Distract

○ Delegate

This type of intervention is important, but it is not enough by itself. Bystander intervention is more than being a bouncer.

Being an active bystander means actively challenging rape culture.

What is Rape Culture?

● Rape culture is an environment in which rape is prevalent and in which sexual violence against women is normalized and excused by the media and popular culture. It is perpetuated by:

○ Misogynistic language

○ Objectification of women’s bodies

○ Glamorization of sexual violence

○ Victim blaming

○ Not believing survivors

Bystander Intervention on Deeper Levels

An important part of transforming rape culture is men standing up to other men and making the things on the lower levels of the pyramid socially unacceptable.

Intervention for things at the tip of the pyramid is important but not enough.

Perpetrators are not Monsters

Perpetrators are not just monstrous outsiders.

They are the products of rape culture.

They come across to their friends and associates as normal, regular

Redefining Strength

Standing up to rape culture does not mean looking down on strength or masculinity.

It means redefining what makes someone strong and what it means to be a man.

Challenging Social Norms

Strength is having the courage to:

Show empathy

Show emotion

Interrupt toxic jokes and behaviors

Respect women

Objective 3

Challenging Gender Roles

Teaching Empathy

Healthy Friendships

Choosing Positive Role Models

Ultimate Goals

Additional Resources

● OHMAN (Ohio Men’s Action Network): https://ohman-ohio.org/

● The Mask You Live In: Documentary

● Jackson Katz “Violence Against Women: It’s a Men’s Issue”: TED Talk

● Tony Porter “A Call to Men”: TED Talk

● Allan Johnson The Gender Knot: Unraveling Our Patriarchal Legacy

● Jackson Katz The Macho Paradox: Why Some Men Hurt Women and How All Men Can Help

Questions?