Jackson, WY— This past year, a hashtag took the internet by storm: #MeToo spread like wildfire as people, primarily women, came forward with stories of sexual assault and harassment. But while women, statistically speaking, are more likely to be the victims of sexual violence than men, Jackson Katz, Ph.D. believes men are an integral part of the solution.
Join Katz and the Community Safety Network Thursday, June 21 in the High School auditorium for a presentation on his renowned scholarship and activism geared toward ending gender-based violence.
Katz is the creator of the award-winning documentary “Tough Guise” and author of “The Macho Paradox: Why Some Men Hurt Women and How All Men Can Help.” He’s a football star-turned women’s studies student who specializes in gender, race, and violence. He is the co-founder of Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP), one of the longest-running and most widely influential gender violence prevention programs in North America and beyond, and the first major program of its kind in the sports culture and the military.
MVP has worked extensively with numerous teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NASCAR, as well as hundreds of Division 1, 2 and 3 college athletic programs, and all majors branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Dr. Katz has been featured on numerous radio and TV programs, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, CNN, and C-Span
Under Katz’s leadership, MVP spearheaded the “bystander” approach to sexual and domestic violence prevention. The bystander approach focuses on men as “empowered bystanders who can confront abusive peers and support abused ones. Likewise, the Model focuses on young women not as victims or potential targets of harassment, rape, and abuse, but as empowered bystanders who can support abused peers and confront abusive ones.”
At the heart of Katz’s work is the belief that men are equally responsible, if not more so, for stopping sexual and domestic abuse. But the dominant narrative paints them only as perpetrators of violence, rather than agents of change. Katz is working to change that.
Community Safety Network Executive Director Andy Cavallaro says Katz’s talk comes at a perfect time. “Culturally speaking, we’re at a watershed moment,” Cavallaro says. “Men are being held accountable for their actions in a way that is unprecedented. This is a generational shift and men need to be active participants in the solution.”
Director of Prevention and Education Shannon Nichols agrees. “We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Katz to Jackson for this event. He has been an inspiration for me personally in changing how I have in the past viewed rape and domestic violence as “women’s issues.” I now understand that they are “human issues” and that we all have an important role to play in ending violence.”
The presentation begins at 6:00 pm at the JH High School Auditorium. Picnic style dinner provided at 5:00 pm. Content appropriate for ages 13 and up for this free community event. For more information, please contact Prevention and Education Director Shannon Nichols at 307.733.3711 or register here.
Community Safety Network provides shelter, safety, and resources for people affected by domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking in Jackson, Wyoming. Every year, CSN offers services to hundreds of clients and their children and serves thousands more through prevention and education. CSN relies on private donations for more than 60% of its operating budget, including its entire Prevention and Education Program. Emergency direct services are supported in part by the Wyoming Office of the Attorney General, Division of Victim Services.
