Men Changing Men
The following are suggestions on how to create awareness and prevent potentially harmful situations.
- Realize how other men's uncaring or wrong behavior might affect your own life. Some woman or man that you care about may have been raped. Understand that this person might need your support but might be unable to enter into a relationship at the present time. Also realize that some women who have been raped might feel distrustful of men in general.
- Confront other men's rape jokes and remarks; relate to others why these jokes are not funny and the harm they can cause.
- Confront other men's harassment--verbal or physical--of women. Most women don't consider it flattery but rather a reminder of their vulnerability to rape.
- Educate other men about what rape really is. Help them to clear up any misconceptions they might have.
- Ask men who you don't recognize what they are doing in your dorm or residence, or who it is they are looking for.
- Confront potential rape scenes. When you see a man verbally harassing a woman, stand by to see if she needs help. If a man is hitting or holding a woman against her will, do something immediately to help her.
- When walking in groups of men or alone be conscious as you approach a woman. Be aware of how afraid she might feel, and give her space on the street if possible.
- Be supportive of women's actions to control their own lives and make their own decisions. Don't be afraid to express these ideas.
- If someone you know has expressed violent feelings or demonstrated violent behavior in a particular relationship with someone, try to help him find an appropriate person with which to talk (mental health, RA, etc).
Help! Where to find it.
Counseling Services (645-2720)
120 Richmond Quad
Ellicott Complex
Crisis Services (834-3131)
24 hour telephone hotline
Copyright - Counseling Services, State University of New York at Buffalo