Working with Boys and Men

This literature review was commissioned by Deloittes as part of its stocktake of sexual violence prevention in Australia. A condensed and revised version of this literature review was published as an Appendix in: Deloittes and M. Flood. (2020) Stocktake of Primary Prevention Initiatives in Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment. Sydney: Deloittes.

This new report focuses on the need to make men visible as a target of public policy that aims to prevent and eradicate violence against women and to develop projects that promote alternative non-violent masculinities.

The study "International Comparison of Politics on Masculinities" has been promoted and funded by the Government Delegation Against Gender Violence and carried out by the Cepaim Foundation.

I want to start with the rationale for this work. Why are we trying to promote healthy masculinities? What is the problem?

To answer that, I have to start with gender.

Gender means…

I’m using the term ‘gender’ here for the patterns of men’s and women’s lives, boys’ and girls’ lives.

Gender means: the meanings we give to being male and female, and the social organisation of men’s and women’s lives.

Confronting and ending oppression against marginalised and minoritised peoples is at the heart of social justice-oriented social work practice. Developing a critical understanding of power and oppression, and enacting social change aimed at challenging structural factors that contribute to oppression are integral to the core mandates of social work profession (International Federation of Social Workers [IFSW], 2014). Different ways of challenging oppression are therefore of significant interest to social workers.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are often seen as the domain of women and girls’ health and well-being. Men and boys are considered important in SRHR, but mainly as partners, gatekeepers and policymakers. This paper argues that men and boys have their own sexual and reproductive health issues and concerns. Addressing men’s concerns benefits not only themselves, but the rippling effect through their partners and communities allows the achievement of SRHR for all.

The new book Engaging Boys and Men in Sexual Assault Prevention: Theory, Research and Practice explores sexual assault prevention programs for boys and men. The book presents leading-edge research on efforts to engage men and boys in the prevention of sexual violence. Written and edited by key scholars in the field, it is an essential volume for researchers, advocates, and educators.

Unpacking the Man Box is based on a survey of 1,000 young Australian men aged 18 to 30. The report builds on the findings of The Men’s Project’s 2018 report The Man Box.

The initial Man Box report found that young Australian men who believe in outdated masculine stereotypes were themselves at higher risk of using violence, online bullying and sexual harassment, engaging in risky drinking and reporting poorer levels of mental health.

#1. Start by putting your own house in order. Take responsibility for violent behaviour and attitudes and build respectful relations with the women and girls in your life. See pp. 11-13 of this report

Over the past decade, health programs have increasingly engaged men and boys in order to achieve gender equality and improve health outcomes. Gender inequality is a pervasive structural issue that negatively affects women, girls, men, and boys. Narratives of masculinity that justify men’s capacity for violence, control over women, and dominance in the economic and political spheres is influential in many local contexts around the world.

Over the last 12 years my view of the world and myself in it has radically changed, due to the many conversations with and between radical feminists I have been privileged to be part of. From my first exposure to the reality of women’s lives and the male violence they encounter and fear on a daily basis, to attending feminist conferences, it has been an eye opening, embarrassing and life-changing journey.