Ending Violence Against Women

We believe that intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women are two of the most important public safety issues in America and the world. Affecting millions of women and girls each year, intimate partner violence and sexual abuse deprive women of their safety and security and puts children at risk for high levels of emotional and psychological trauma. At the Renaissance Male Project, we work to end all forms of violence against women, particularly by getting men involved in anti-violence initiatives.

Our community strategies focus on both prevention and intervention for several reasons. First, intimate partner violence is a highly under-reported phenomenon. As a result, the vast majority of men that participate in battering and abusive behavior will never be labeled "batterers," nor will they come to the attention of the criminal justice system.

Second, despite the fact that intimate partner violence occurs in all racial and ethnic communities and across all classes, the men who come to the attention of the criminal justice system are disproportionately men of color (particularly African-Americans). As a result, we support the efforts of communities of color that seek to implement non-intervention based models for dealing with community issues.

Third, while the majority of men are not batterers, they do benefit from the violence of other men as "bystanders." We believe that the majority of men in communities work, are marginally connected to community life, and are simply not involved in the social justice movement aimed at reducing violence against women. Through this inaction, they perpetuate the status quo of women's and girls violence and victimization. Therefore, we strive to raise men's awareness about women's issues, get them involved, and teach them tools on how to hold other accountable.

Goals:

• A recognition that battering and abusive behavior are learned behavior that can be un-learned and changed
• A recognition that eliminating violence and abuse is also a men's issue
• A understanding that using violence is a choice that men make to exert power and control over women and other men
• Increased knowledge and awareness about domestic violence in communities of color
• Change in attitudes and behavior about the appropriateness of violence in relationships
• Complete reduction in levels of violence
• Expansion in definitions of manhood and masculinity
• More men of color trained in anti-domestic violence
• More men of color involved in social welfare and social justice issues
• More culturally accountable practices for institutions working with men
• More effective and integrative services for female victims
• More effective and integrative services for batterers
• More men held accountable for violent and abusive behavior
• More knowledge and skill for community organizers
• More public awareness of intersectionality of men's violence