Men help prevent domestic violence

At the graduate chapter of Omega Psi Phi fraternity’s “Men Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence” conference on Nov. 15, Toby Strout, executive director of Middle Way House, explained what men can do to end domestic violence. \n“Be good feminists,” she said succinctly.\nThe three-part conference was part of Achievement Week, a series of social outreach events commemorating the fraternity’s founding. The conference featured speakers from Middle Way House and encouraged audience participation to improve services for victims and increase men’s awareness of domestic violence.\nRussell Hollis, president of the graduate chapter of Omega Psi Phi, explained why this year’s achievement week focused on violence against women.\n“We had a meeting a few weeks after the Juanita Bynum/Bishop Weeks incident, where a husband assaulted his wife in public. They’re famous in the gospel community,” he explained. “And at the same time, we heard about incidents on campus and Indianapolis. We realized this was happening too much, and we weren’t doing enough about it.” \nIn the first third of the conference, Strout stressed the role men have in preventing domestic violence, which is often seen as just a women’s issue because they are the primary victims.\n“Everybody in this room loves a woman,” she said. “Every man has a mother, a sister, a girlfriend, a daughter. Anything that makes their lives difficult is something that men should care about.”\nStrout explained that domestic violence is deeply rooted in sexism and that the situation will truly improve when women have equal authority in the areas of polity, economy and faith.\nThe second segment of the conference began with the audience of about 30 separating into two groups to discuss the reasons abused women and men do not seek help and what both women and men can do prevent domestic violence and give aid to those who need it.\nOne group suggested that victims of domestic violence don’t use services, like those offered by Middle Way House, because of shame. Some abused women want to maintain their privacy at all cost, and some professionals are embarrassed because domestic violence is often seen as a “poor problem.”\nBloomington resident Edward Hazelrig suggested a way to help victims. \n“Middle Way House needs staff who look like you,” he said, referring to minority communities.\nRobert Davis, an IU alumnus and resident of Indianapolis, spoke about the responsibility men must assume in preventing domestic violence.\n“You need to lead by example,” he said. “Let your sons see the respect that you give to women.” \nIn the final segment of the conference, Liz Hannibal, the crisis intervention services coordinator at the Middle Way House, spoke about the prevalence of domestic violence in Bloomington and volunteer opportunities available at the center.\n“There’s only one bed open in the shelter now, and in the summer, there were people on couches at four different times,” she said.\nLast year, Middle Way House trained 300 volunteers. Despite this success, Hannibal said the center is seeking more minority and male volunteers.\n“We have a very limited number of volunteers from minority populations, and we would love more,” she said. “We don’t serve as many African American women as white women or as many Hispanic women.\n“We need male volunteers so incredibly badly. We have boys at the center who need mentors.”\nEric Saunders, chaplain of Omega Psi Phi, ended the conference with a prayer for knowledge and individual responsibility. He asked that the participants of the conference carry this knowledge in their hearts and care for others.