Man Up!

In Monday's edition of the Kansas City Star Mary Sanchez included an organization called Man Up! in her report titled Respect of women is key to manhood. She quotes Matt Sharples, a 41-year-old KC area entrepreneur who serves on the board of the Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault, saying:

“When 97% of all sexual assaults, for example, are perpetuated by men — I think it’s high time we start calling this problem what it really is — a problem of manliness, or what it means to be 'a man'”.
...
“Men really need to have some serious ‘man-to-man’ dialogue about abuse, sexuality, masculinity, boundaries, pornography, healthy relationships, victim-blaming, drug-facilitated rape, etc., etc., and all the influences that serve to define what it really is to ‘be a man’ nowadays.”

I like what Matt says. Man Up! (a program that enlists men as allies to women) offers this advice: Sexual violence is everyone’s problem. Here are five things men can do:

1. Question your attitudes — understand how your attitudes and actions might inadvertently demean women and perpetuate sexual violence.
2. Don’t be a silent bystander — if a brother, friend, co-worker or teammate is disrespectful to girls and women, don’t look the other way. Speak up.
3. Mentor and teach young boys how to be respectful men who don’t degrade or abuse girls and women.
4. Refuse to support any media (music, movies, magazines, Web sites, etc.) that degrade or promote the abuse of women.
5. Be an ally to those working to end sexual violence. Support organizations and events publicly and financially.

For more information and links to other programs, go to their blog.