ASK A MATE is a new app aimed at boys and young men that aims to provide sound, evidence-based advice on topics including relationships, gender, consent, domestic and sexual violence, delivered by high-profile positive male role models who young men are willing to listen to.
ASK A MATE has been created by Beyond DV, an Australian charity focused on shaping a society free from domestic violence.
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Increased public attention to issues of gender injustice has led to a proliferation of community-based programs for boys and men designed to educate for gender respect and gender justice. An intersectional approach to this work is now seen as imperative. In practice, however, this approach is far from simple or straightforward. This paper presents data from a broader study of community-based programs in Victoria, Australia designed to support men and boys to adopt more inclusive and respectful masculinities.
There is intensified attention in Australia at present to the messages about manhood, good and bad, that boys and young men grow up with.
There is now a field of programming and policy focused on ‘engaging men and boys’. This involves efforts self-consciously aimed at men or boys and addressing their involvements in gender in some way, and can be termed the ‘engaging men and boys’ field (Greig & Flood, 2020). The last decade has seen significant growth in this field. Programs and initiatives focused on men and boys have proliferated at local, national, and international levels.
On the eve of International Women’s Day, I began to hear once again the familiar sounds of CEOs and politicians responding to the calls for action in tackling gender inequality in Australian workplaces, with the following familiar catch phrases, “There’s more to do…. We must do more …..We have a long way to go….Everyone needs to play a role here… We need to work together……We have to ensure that all women have….. It’s the right thing to do…” It appears to be a reoccurring theme. Well, that’s what I wrote in 2016.
This discussion guide is for organizations working with men and boys that are addressing the prevention of violence against women and girls (VAWG) or are interested in beginning work in this area. The 11-page guide provides examples of approaches to developing gender-transformative messaging that organizations can refer to and utilise in their work.
As we brace for the return of Donald Trump to the US presidency, many of us feel an unsettling déjà vu. The memory of policies, judicial appointments, and a political climate that emboldened racism, transphobia, book bans, and carceral violence hangs heavy. Across the globe, these patterns have sown division and deepened inequality.
This paper provides a critical assessment of efforts to involve men in the prevention of men’s violence against women. Although there is a substantial evidence base attesting to the effectiveness of at least some strategies and interventions, this field is also limited in important ways. Violence prevention efforts often have focused on changing men’s attitudes, rather than also seeking to transform structural and institutional inequalities.
This short brief describes how rigid gender norms wreak havoc on all members of society and presents evidence indicating that the outcomes are better for everyone in societies with more flexible and adaptable gender norms. Seeing men as co-beneficiaries and stakeholders in the fight for gender and social equality, the document present a series of recommendations to engage men and boys as part of gender-transformative strategies.
Download the brief in PDF here.
Based on a literature review and interviews with key stakeholders, this technical brief synthesizes current research into how masculinities and disabilities intersect in conflict and post-conflict settings. It outlines evidenced-based strategies for meaningful engagement with men and boys and sheds light on how to equip them with the skills they need to play a role in peaceful societies that are both gender- and disability-inclusive.
Download the technical brief here.
