Gender Content Topic Results

Being a Man: Preventing Gender Based Violence

ckeene — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 00:13:38 +0000

Being a Man: Preventing Gender Based Violence ckeene Tue, 08/09/2016 - 20:13

Published

January 19, 2024

Author(s)

What does it really mean to “be a man”? No need to do any research or enroll in any philosophy courses because I’ll tell you what it means. It means to be like Batman. Of course, you’re thinking, what does this fictional character have to do with masculinity? Well, let’s think about it. Batman never shows emotion except anger towards criminals and cold shoulders towards Robin. Batman is highly intelligent and strong, even without superpowers. Then, when he’s not being the Caped Crusader, he’s Bruce Wayne. A billionaire genius who, to the public, seems to only care about money and how many women he can have on his arm while he buys the next hotel. Whether he’s being Batman or Bruce Wayne, he is powerful.

Let’s be honest, a lot of us men want to be Batman. A lot of us would even settle for being just Bruce Wayne. But have you ever thought about why? Well, it’s simple really – in today’s society we are conditioned to be like Batman, who society tells us is the epitome of what it means to be a man. Be strong, not just physically but mentally. Don’t show any emotion, because emotion symbolizes weakness (unless it’s pride or anger, of course). Take care of yourself and your family because that’s the only thing that matters. Make sure you have lots of women, because somehow that makes you more attractive? Also, make sure you have money because money is an automatic win over everything. You don’t necessarily have to have all these things at once, but just one thing that makes you seem more “manly.” Or should I say, less like a woman…

It makes sense, right? If being a man means not showing emotion, and to show emotions means to be weak, then who are we calling weak? We as men collectively cut off our emotions to distance ourselves from the experiences of women. As men, we collectively put ourselves into a box. In this box, we have certain rules for what it means to be a man. Do not cry or openly show emotion, don’t express weakness or fear, be athletic, tough, make decisions on your own, demonstrate power and control (especially over women), and view women as property or objects. So much for being Batman huh? But that’s just it. We aren’t Batman. We are David, Mark, Leo, Donte, and Justin. We are more than one-dimensional characters in a comic book. However, this “man box” is trapping us to be more one-dimensional and collectively, we as men are allowing this to happen. Instead of a box, I think this is more of a cage.

Being in a box means being trapped, with no way out. Not being able to see the light as men. However, that’s simply not true. We see what it could be like to be outside of the cages through the holes. We see what other men are doing to break free from the cage and live healthy, respectable lives. However, as soon as we try to reach our fingers out of this cage, society (our “master”) slams our hands and fingers back inside. Always reminding us that being outside of this cage means you aren’t a man, you’re more like a woman or gay. These notions of masculinity are extremely harmful to not just ourselves but the women and girls in our lives as well. We as men are collectively taught to see women as having less value and to view them as property and the objects of men. This is the equation that equals violence against women. Overwhelmingly it is men who hurt women. However, through work with men and boys, we can end violence against women. Men are also confined by this violence. Taking into account that 80% of victims know the person who raped them, it becomes virtually impossible for women to distinguish “safe guys” from men who are dangerous and therefore a “potential rapist” or abuser. The result is a society with its guard up. Relationships with men are approached with fear and mistrust. Intimacy is limited by the constant threat of violence.

Men are not born violent. Some become violent as a result of destructive beliefs and expectations about what it means to be a man. We must recognize the ways that dominant stories of masculinities have infiltrated our lives. In order to do so, we must discover and acknowledge that our understanding of masculinity is often manipulated directly and deliberately by corporations that value profit over people. We as men can choose to not perpetrate acts of violence and challenge those men who do. We can also challenge ideals and attitudes that support violence against women. How? Well, my friends, you have come to the right place! As you read through this collection, you will understand the why and the how of engaging men in efforts to end gender-based violence.

Identifying and Preventing Gender and Intersectional Bias in Law Enforcement Responses to Domestic and Sexual Violence

berdman — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 15:13:06 +0000

Identifying and Preventing Gender and Intersectional Bias in Law Enforcement Responses to Domestic and Sexual Violence berdman Fri, 04/05/2019 - 11:13

Published

January 14, 2022

Author(s)

Carrie Bettinger-Lopez

Rosie Hidalgo

Olivia Garcia

Renu Sara Nargund

This special collection is a product of the COURAGE in Policing Project, jointly supported by the Human Rights Clinic at the University of Miami School of Law, Casa de Esperanza National Latin@ Network, and UN Women. [Note: Rosie Hidalgo contributed to the production of this Special Collection prior to January 2021, in her capacity as Senior Director of Public Policy, Casa de Esperanza (now Esperanza United).] The purpose of this special collection is to compile resources focused on improving the law enforcement responses to domestic violence and sexual assault.

Domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV) are pandemics that are globally ubiquitous, despite decades of efforts to address these ills through public health, criminal justice, education, and social welfare sectors. Despite the devastating prevalence of GBV, the United Nations (UN) has reported that in most countries, less than 40% of women who experienced violence sought any sort of help, and of those, less than 10% sought help from the police (United Nations Statistics Division 2015). This reflects a profound mistrust of state systems whose frontline responders are usually law enforcement officers and whose purported mission is to protect and serve.

The reasons behind the fraught relationship between survivors and law enforcement are complex. They range from a lack of effective trainings on responding to GBV and communicating with survivors, to the use of investigation and prosecution policies and practices that do not account for the effects of trauma on victims, to a lack of accountability mechanisms for misconduct, including GBV perpetrated by law enforcement officers themselves, to biases (gender, race, and otherwise) that are ingrained in the criminal legal system. These dynamics particularly impact survivors from marginalized or underserved communities, who often have a deep mistrust of the police. Recent surveys underscore the significance of gender, racial, and other forms of bias in police responses to GBV, and the effects of bias on how people engage with the criminal legal system.

While law enforcement response is only one component of a comprehensive approach to GBV, it is a critical piece, particularly in the context of high-risk situations and when survivors seek to engage with the police. In 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) began stepping up its investigations into discriminatory law enforcement responses to GBV in several cities and, in 2015, the DOJ published a Guidance entitled Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias in Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence (DOJ 2015). The Guidance, which articulates eight principles, was created to improve responses to GBV by the 18,000 law enforcement agencies (LEAs) across the U.S.

The guidance provides a foundation for considering how law enforcement can improve responses to survivors, women and girls of color, and people from historically exploited and vulnerable communities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ+) individuals, who are disproportionately impacted by sexual assault and domestic violence. Through eight sections (A-G), this collection offers resources for identifying and preventing gender, racial, and other forms of bias, especially for underserved and marginalized survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

We hope that this special collection will provide various perspectives and resources for advocates, law enforcement leaders, and others who are considering ways to improve law enforcement responses to gender-based violence, particularly in underserved or marginalized communities. Our hope is to expand and improve pathways to safety for survivors.

We recognize that there are many unanswered questions that may come up for readers in the review of this special collection. These may include questions such as: how have advocates approached law enforcement issues? What is the historical impact of the work done by advocates? What is the ability of law enforcement to implement measurable and sustainable change? and how can law enforcement evaluate and correct itself at this point? While this special collection does not directly answer these questions, we recognize the importance of exploring these pertinent questions in future collections to better identify and prevent gender bias in the law enforcement response to sexual assault and domestic violence. We also acknowledge the need for rigorous evaluations of existing law enforcement training programs to bring greater accountability, enhance credibility, and bridge gaps in the program to ensure training effectiveness.

In the future, the COURAGE project plans to develop a collection of resources highlighting the importance of different pathways to safety, particularly for survivors who want alternatives to the criminal legal system, such as “violence interruption” programs, restorative and transformative justice, collective healing, economic justice, and health and housing justice. We welcome your feedback and ideas.

We approach this work with the intention of dismantling misogynist, anti-black and racist norms that are prevalent throughout U.S. society, including in the criminal legal system. Indeed, it is well understood that many survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault choose not to engage with the criminal legal system for a variety of reasons, including: a history of violence by law enforcement and other state agents against women, black and minority communities; fear of the immigration, child welfare, public assistance, and other consequences for survivors and their family members; deportation, exploitation, and a desire to protect one’s family from justice system involvement. Nonetheless, for the victims who do interact with the criminal legal system, the focus of this initiative is to make existing law enforcement systems more trauma-informed, survivor-centered, and accountable.

While criminalization of individuals who inflict GBV has historically been viewed as a proxy for justice, advocates and scholars are proposing alternative frameworks, such as “violence interruption,” restorative justice, community justice, collective healing, economic justice, health and housing justice, and “police abolition.” We endorse these calls for increased research and investment in non-criminal approaches to preventing and responding to GBV, and we believe they are in line with a human rights-based, “due diligence” approach.

While we must develop and embrace a long-term vision for safety, justice, and healing for survivors, we also believe that we must develop viable models to improve police response to GBV for the foreseeable future. For such a devastating and deadly problem, we must approach the problem in the here-and-now with tactical precision. This means investing in the alternative approaches outlined above, while insisting on improvements to the criminal legal system that currently exists.

While the role of law enforcement will likely evolve in response to these crises, it remains an important system actor in the GBV context for the foreseeable future. It is thus critical that LEAs espouse and implement the following principles, expanding on the DOJ Guidance: accountability for officer-perpetrated GBV; trauma-informed interactions with survivors; effective investigation of GBV reports; and attention to intersecting forms of discrimination. Doing so will help prevent gender and other intersectional forms of bias, thereby improving responses to GBV and contributing to a safer world for all of us.

The authors are grateful to colleagues from UN Women who contributed feedback and ideas to this special collection: Mirko Fernandez, Laura Capobianco, and Caroline Meenagh.

Centering the Needs of Male-Identified Survivors of Domestic Violence

berdman — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 15:31:08 +0000

Centering the Needs of Male-Identified Survivors of Domestic Violence berdman Fri, 01/22/2021 - 10:31

Published

October 01, 2021

Author(s)

Ivonne Ortiz

“An officer said to me, ‘She must be a really big woman, and stronger than you.’ Society doesn't believe men like me that go through things like these.” – Male Survivor

Developing services that meet the needs of all survivors of domestic violence (DV) requires that we center safety and all the voices of those that experience harm. Historically, domestic violence programs were born from the women’s liberation movement of the 1970’s to address the needs of female survivors. Overtime, it has come to be understood that anyone can be a victim of domestic violence regardless of race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Currently, most domestic violence programs primarily provide services to women and children, who continue to represent the majority of victims seeking these services. At the same time, these programs struggle with the idea of integrating services to address male-identified victims across the lifespan. Both research and practice underscore the need to improve services to this group.

While data shows that domestic violence disproportionately affects girls and women, boys, gay, bisexual, transmasculine and heterosexual men are also victims. In 2015, NRCDV conducted a series of listening sessions with male survivors; out of these conversations, we noted that one of the most significant barriers to accessing services was shame and stigma, including the pressure they felt as men to be strong and “keep everything together.” Male victims often fear that their complaints are not credible or that they will be blamed for the abuse if they tell anyone. Some re-counted that receiving non-residential services from a domestic violence (DV) program was not an option because of their gender.

“I felt judged and not believed. You know men should be able to take care of their woman type of mentality.” – Male Survivor

We have a long way to go to deepen our understanding of the specific challenges male victims continue to face. Society needs a broader concept of “male identity” to ensure accessibility to services and the promising practices developed by agencies serving them. Given this absence of information, it is especially critical to amplify the voices of male victims from historically marginalized communities, as well as the experiences and best practices of the advocates who work with them.

“It’s hard…people don't believe you. I told one doctor my partner was beating me up and he immediately thought that I was gay. Society can’t believe that a woman can abuse a man.” – Male Survivor

About this collection:

This collection offers available resources for domestic violence service providers to enhance responses to male-identified survivors of domestic violence within their current service delivery models and within specialized community-driven programming and services.

NRCDV has compiled resources that may offer helpful guidance for domestic violence programs that need to enhance their response to male-identified victims. See our related TA Guidance document, Serving Male-Identified Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence.

A note about language:

Throughout this collection, we will be using the following terms interchangeably domestic violence (DV), intimate partner abuse (IPA), and intimate partner violence (IPV) to describe physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse.

Preventing and Responding to Domestic Violence in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer (LGBTQ) Communities

ckeene — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 18:42:40 +0000

Preventing and Responding to Domestic Violence in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer (LGBTQ) Communities ckeene Thu, 08/11/2016 - 14:42

Published

June 01, 2019

Although the U.S. has made exciting progress in recent years, from the passage of marriage equality to shifting culturally-held definitions of sex and gender, people who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer* (LGBTQ) continue to face widespread violence, harassment, and discrimination. While research is limited, the research that is available indicates that members of LGBTQ communities experience domestic and sexual violence at rates that are equal to or higher than non-LGBTQ people, particularly when they hold additional marginalized identities, such as being a woman of color or an undocumented immigrant.

And while they experience high rates of violence, LGBTQ survivors also often face significant barriers to safety and accessing services, such as historical over-incarceration and harassment by police, unintended outing, discrimination by service providers, and a lack of culturally responsive services that can result in revictimization. Additional layers of oppression often add to these barriers – the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS) found that “transgender people of color who completed the survey experienced deeper and broader forms of discrimination than white USTS respondents,” and although they experienced higher rates of interpersonal violence, Black respondents reported less comfort reaching out to police, medical professionals, and shelters for help. Additionally, the lack of LGBTQ-inclusive violence prevention efforts and healthy relationship programming in most communities results in low levels of awareness of the prevalence and impact of domestic and sexual violence in LGBTQ communities. This special collection is intended to help domestic violence organizations address these gaps in services for LGBTQ survivors.

The information in this special collection offers an overview of research and resources that are currently available on preventing and responding to domestic violence within LGBTQ communities. Resources provided in this special collection are especially relevant to organizations and individuals who want to increase their capacity to provide culturally responsive intervention services to the LGBTQ survivors of domestic violence and to those who want to work with LGBTQ communities on prevention strategies.

This special collection draws from the work of many leaders around the United States who focus specifically on the issue of domestic violence within LGBTQ communities. We want to specifically highlight the work on a national level that the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), The Northwest Network, the National LGBTQ Institute on IPV, The Network/La Red, and FORGE have done in partnership with these communities. Additionally, a list of organizations working around the issue of domestic violence in LGBTQ communities is provided at the end of this special collection.

Originally developed by the Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse, this collection was updated in 2019 by the National LGBTQ Institute on IPV in partnership with the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence. For more extensive information specific to transgender and non-binary survivors, see our Serving Trans and Non-Binary Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence special collection. For access to additional academic and conceptual articles on LGBTQ IPV, please visit the LGBTQ Institute’s online Zotero library.

PLEASE NOTE: With any personal identity the language chosen by the individual to describe their identity is of the utmost importance. Language that one individual uses to describe their sexual or gender identity can be considered offensive to the next. Definitions for these identities are not fixed and are always changing in meaning, both in society and by individuals.

Sexual Violence in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, or Queer (LGBTIQ) Communities

ckeene — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 19:46:30 +0000

Sexual Violence in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, or Queer (LGBTIQ) Communities ckeene Thu, 08/11/2016 - 15:46

Published

October 01, 2011

Individuals who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, or Queer* (LGBTIQ) often experience intense discrimination based on their sexuality or gender identity. Institutions and establishments in our society categorize and label human experience in ways that fail to recognize those with sexualities and gender identities outside of the confines of heterosexuality and gender as based on biological sex. These current definitions of human sexuality and gender identity limit our understanding of the LGBTIQ communities. Recognizing that no grouping of letters, LGBTIQ or otherwise, could fully grasp the continuum of sexuality and gender identity, the select resources and research in this special collection illustrates the LGBTIQ communities’ experiences with sexual violence within the US. Resources especially relevant to these individuals, as well as straight allies and professionals, address the issue of sexual violence in LGBTIQ communities, relationships, and the impact on society.

LGBTIQ-identified populations experience sexual violence at the same rate, and according to some sources, at higher rates, as the heterosexual population (Gay & Lesbian Times). Individuals may experience sexual violence from anyone: acquaintances, intimate partners, or strangers. According to several reports, people who identify as LGBTIQ are more likely to experience sexual violence by a stranger than their heterosexual counterparts (UMM Violence Prevention Center). Additionally, some individuals perpetrate hate crimes by targeting individuals who are or who they perceive to be LGBTIQ and use sexual assault, rape, and harassment as the form of violence.

LGBTIQ individuals often face additional challenges and barriers in reporting sexual violence and seeking services after trauma. Among these challenges, unintended outing, discrimination by reporting sources, additional harassment, and a lack of culturally competent services revictimize those who identify as LGBTIQ by creating a hostile environment. Anyone who experiences sexual violence deserves a safe space for healing, and this collection provides resources to aid in creating that safe space for LGBTIQ individuals.

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center gathered this collection in an effort to create an environment of cultural competence when serving or working with LGBTIQ-identified individuals. It complements the resources in the parallel collection, Preventing and Responding to Domestic Violence in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer (LGBTQ) Communities. We welcome any comments, feedback, or suggestions.

* It is important to note, with any personal identity the language chosen by the individual to describe their identity is of the utmost importance. Language that one individual uses to describe their sexual identity can be considered offensive to the next. Definitions for these identities are not fixed and are always changing in meaning, both in society and by individuals.

WEBINAR: Domestic Violence 101: Back to Basics

ckeene — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 14:53:54 +0000

WEBINAR: Domestic Violence 101: Back to Basics ckeene Tue, 01/28/2025 - 09:53

General Material

NRCDV Publications

Training Tools

Published Date

January, 2025

New Resources Added

January 28, 2025

Publisher(s)

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)

Author(s)

Fatima Jayoma

This introductory webinar described the dynamics and common tactics that characterize domestic violence. It will also provided an overview of its root causes, as well as the scope and impact on individuals and society. This session will help new advocates, allied professionals, students, and the general public achieve a basic understanding of this complex issue and how they can be part of the solution.

Associated Links

Registration Page

Associated Files

Attachment	Size
DV101 Webinar Slides	2.28 MB

Material Categories

Core Competencies

Trauma Informed Approach

Staff Development

Racial Justice

Domestic Violence

Gender

Telling Our Stories: Ending the Cycle of Shame

berdman — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:23:37 +0000

Telling Our Stories: Ending the Cycle of Shame berdman Wed, 03/13/2024 - 09:23

General Material

Published Date

March, 2024

Publisher(s)

Intercambios

Creating room for stories can unveil the complex web of chains that trap TQLGB survivors in an unending cycle of shame. This resource from Intercambios proposes a shift in perspective. Instead of wondering why individuals from TQLGB communities are hesitant to share/disclose their stories, let's redirect the focus inward and ask: "How might I or my agency be contributing to the narrative of shame?"

Associated Links

Telling Our Stories: Ending the Cycle of Shame

Material Categories

Attitudes / Perception / Awareness

Gender

Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity

2022 U.S. Trans Survey

berdman — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 19:01:26 +0000

2022 U.S. Trans Survey berdman Thu, 02/15/2024 - 14:01

General Material

Published Date

February, 2024

Publisher(s)

National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE)

Author(s)

Sandy E. James

Jody L. Herman

Laura E. Durso

Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen

The 2022 U.S. Trans Survey (USTS) was fielded from October 19 to December 5, 2022. As a community-based survey, the USTS was developed with the assistance of dozens of individuals and organizations with robust connections to trans people and communities throughout the United States and with subject-matter expertise.

The 2022 USTS was expanded to address lessons learned from the 2015 USTS, respond to the evolving sociopolitical landscape, and increase knowledge of the lives and experiences of trans people in the United States.

Associated Links

2022 U.S. Trans Survey

2022 U.S. Trans Survey: Early Insights

Material Categories

Civil Legal Rights & Protections

LGBTQ Rights

Attitudes / Perception / Awareness

Gender

Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity

Examining the Current State of Critical Intersections: Female Genital Mutilation/ Cutting and Social Oppressions

berdman — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 15:51:27 +0000

Examining the Current State of Critical Intersections: Female Genital Mutilation/ Cutting and Social Oppressions berdman Wed, 01/31/2024 - 10:51

General Material

Published Date

October, 2023

Publisher(s)

Sahiyo

This report from Sahiyo U.S. explores how different forms of oppression intersect to limit survivors’ access to resources, as well as how the work to end FGM/C is connected to other themes across the human experience. This report is the first of a series on this research and identifies current understandings of critical factors intersecting with FGM/C and outlines the gaps in our knowledge. The publication is organized around seven core themes that intersect with FGM/C: religion, climate change, feminism, race and racism, law and policy, queer gender and sexuality, and bodily autonomy.

Associated Links

Examining the Current State of Critical Intersections: Female Genital Mutilatio…

Material Categories

Racial Justice

Communities of Color

FGM / Honor Killings / Forced Marriage / Acid Attacks

Gender

Race

Religion / Spirituality / Faith

Sexual Violence

Rubric for Responsiveness to LGBTQ Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence for Domestic Violence Service Providers

berdman — Tue, 28 May 2024 19:18:36 +0000

Rubric for Responsiveness to LGBTQ Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence for Domestic Violence Service Providers berdman Tue, 05/28/2024 - 15:18

General Material

Training Tools

Published Date

March, 2023

Publisher(s)

National LGBTQ Institute on IPV

This self-assessment tool from the National LGBTQ Institute on Intimate Partner Violence serves as a way for domestic violence service providers to evaluate their organizational capacity, policies, and practices to identify areas to improve access to LGBTQ survivors.

Associated Links

Rubric for Responsiveness to LGBTQ Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence for D…

Material Categories

Accessibility

Cultural Competence

Program Evaluation

Trauma Informed Approach

LGBTQ Rights

Attitudes / Perception / Awareness

Domestic Violence

Gender

Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity