Allies At Heart: Why Ending Violence Against Women Starts With Men

Eliminating physical violence against Women is not only a women’s issue, it is a Human Rights issue at large. Men can definitely play a pivotal role in this. First and foremost, the men of today should give a keen listening ear and empathy to women who have actually been subjected to brutal physical violence by ruthless men. 

Women’s fight for human rights against physical violence is not only the spirit of a marathon. Men should reflect on how their involvement can contribute to direct actions towards change in other men’s outdated mindsets. Men of today should enlighten other men that women of today are well-educated, intelligent, financially independent and are in no way less than men. Then why should they be subjected to physical violence of any kind? Physical violence is a criminal offence. Period. Today’s modern men should strongly drill this fact in the minds of outdated men. 

Role of men in eliminating violence against women

In today’s day and age, men can be the perfect role models for other men to emulate and follow. Men should support and volunteer in women’s associations and platforms for women’s rights. To achieve an equal world for men and women and to put an end to violence against women, men should question the power dynamics in their actions and words, and take up the responsibility to change the world at large. 

Men should enlighten other men on the issue of violence against women through social media campaigns and join Facebook groups like Men against violence against women and engage in Twitter chats like Men for Equality. Men should also join mass media campaigns on rights of women and also help in creating awareness by writing blogs and involve themselves in such other bold activities in favour of women’s rights. 

Men must go that extra mile to ensure that they share accurate information that the social message of violence against women reaches out to more and more people across the globe. Men should also inspire and educate school and college students and the younger generation of today about how physical voilence against men can lead to drastic action against them. 

Today’s modern men should muster the courage to make other men realise that the physical strength that God has given them is not to subjugate women to violence rather this strength should be channelised in the right direction whereby a man should protect, respect and cherish women. After all it is a woman who gives birth to a man. 

Men should come forward in large numbers to report an act of physical violence against women to the police and to the women’s cell. Men should also play their role in educating the women in society in guiding them to become financially and mentally independent and career-minded so that they can stand up for themselves and their equal rights in society. 

It is time all men in society in all parts of the world can be productively involved in condemning violence and sexism and promote respectful relationships among both men and women. They should also demonstrate healthy behaviour including respect and equality in personal relationships. 

When men are actively involved in fighting against violence against women it has a ripple effect in society and a dramatic change will be seen in ruthless men who till today consider a woman a commodity to play with. 

Men can also help in organising events and undertake policy initiatives in favour of ending violence against women. They can provide emotional support and advocacy for women who have experienced violence. Men in high-ranking positions of power can advocate for policies addressing violence against women. 

It is also important to become informed about steps and procedures that are involved like getting in touch with the protection officer who will help in filing a Domestic Violence Incident Report. Men must help to educate women in understanding their rights in standing against brutal physical violence. Men should go a step further in psychologically counselling women who have been subjected to physical violence and help them in regaining back their self-confidence. 

To eradicate physical violence against women, the entire outlook and mentality of men needs a drastic change. Last but not least, men should become protagonists in reflecting and re-emergence of the male gender role into a masculinity that is positive, non-violent, respectful and egalitarian.

Authored by Braja Kishore Pradhan, Founder and CEO of Aahwahan Foundation. Views expressed by the author are their own.