Sexual Violence Prevention Needs A Few Good Men (And Boys) [Podcast]

In the CDC’s technical package for sexual violence prevention, one of the strategies they name is “Promote Social Norms that Protect Against Violence” with one of the recommended approaches as engaging men and boys as allies. But what does that mean, really? What should men’s role be in sexual violence prevention? What methods are going to the most successful in reaching them? What are the obstacles in getting there?

To help us work our way through this issue is Dr. Lindsay Orchowski, a Staff Psychologist in the Adult Outpatient Division in the Department of Psychiatry within Lifespan Physicians Group and Associate Professor (Research) at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She is also the Deputy Title IX Coordinator for the Medical School. She is also the Associate Editor for Psychology of Women Quarterly, on the Editorial Board for the journal Violence Against Women, and is Consulting Editor for Psychology of Violence.  In 2018, she published the Co-Edited book “Sexual Assault Risk Reduction and Resistance: Theory Research and Practice”

Also joining us is Dr Alan Berkowitz,  an independent consultant working with colleges, universities, public health agencies, military organizations, and communities to design programs that address health and social justice issues – such as sexual violence.

He developed one of the first rape prevention programs for men in the United States at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He is an authority in the development of the Social Norms Theory and has implemented several successful programs. He has been published multiple times including:

· Preventing Sexual Aggression among College Men: An Evaluation of a Social Norms and Bystander Intervention Program

· Working with Men to Prevent Violence Against Women

Most recently both Dr Orchowski and Dr Berkowitz edited the upcoming book on Engaging Boys and Men in Sexual Assault Prevention which is due out later this year.

Topics covered include: 

• Why do men and boys need to be involved in sexual violence prevention?
• What should men’s roles be within sexual violence prevention?
• What are the dangers of involving men in sexual violence prevention and what can be done about them?
• How is the messaging for men different than for women?
• What makes a prevention program involving men and boys successful?
• Why do social norm approaches to sexual violence prevention need to be reinforced and how often

SourcesDr. Lindsay M OrchowskiDr Alan BerkowitzEngaging Boys and Men in Sexual Assault Prevention: Theory, Research, and Practice 1st Edition by Lindsay M. Orchowski (Editor), Alan Berkowitz (Editor)Preventing Sexual Aggression Among College Men: An Evaluation of a Social Norms and Bystander Intervention ProgramEngaging Men as Social Justice Allies in Ending Violence Against Women: Evidence for a Social Norms ApproachEngaging Men and Boys in Violence Prevention (Global Masculinities) 1st ed. 2019 Edition by Michael Flood