Men's Work in Preventing Violence Against Women (PDF)

Promote effective partnerships between men and women to end domestic violence!

Men's Work in Preventing Violence Against Women examines the experiences of 12 practicing counselors who call on their religious training to form partnerships between men and women that promote an end to domestic violence. In both religious and secular settings, the bulk of the work done to end violence against women is done by women—survivors who have become activists and advocates who have been touched by the witness of survivors. Motivating and educating men to share the everyday work of domestic violence shelters, rape crisis counseling, and abuse prevention is essential. This book challenges traditional images of masculinity, exploring effective—and ineffective—methods of helping men face their own sexism and change their behavior toward the goal of ending domestic violence.

Each contributor to Men's Work in Preventing Violence Against Women approached the concept of man/woman partnerships working to end domestic violence and sexual assault with the following questions in mind:

• In your experience and social world have you seen creative partnerships between men and women that made a difference?
• Have you seen men in counseling struggle to change their views on gender in order to become reliable allies in the fight to end violence against women?
• How can religion become a resource for men working to become allies with women?
• What strategies can men use to help end violence against women?

Men's Work in Preventing Violence Against Women includes contributions from Paul Kivel, cofounder of the Oakland Men's Project and of Gvarim: Bay Area Jewish Men Against Violence; David Livingston, author of Healing Violent Men: A Model for Christian Communities; Al Miles, author of Domestic Violence: What Every Pastor Should Know; and Richard Wallace Jr., editor of the Journal of Ministry in Addiction & Recovery (Haworth). Each essay presents practical and theoretical ideas, guidelines for partnerships, and insightful information on sexual and domestic violence. Topics addressed include:

Jewish male violence

holding Christian men accountable for domestic violence

shared experiences of batterers and the people who treat them

premarital preparation

the dynamics of power in pastoral care

engaging Scripture with male abusers

helping men become pro-feminist Men's Work in Preventing Violence Against Women is an essential resource for counselors, social workers, clergy, laypersons, and anyone else working to end domestic violence and sexual abuse against women.