 |
|
|
Men's Initiative for Jane Doe Inc. |
 |
|
|
Local Project Updates as of June 2003. This report is a compliation of news reported from men's outreach projects in the State of Massachusetts that support the purpose of ending violence against women. Solicited by email and phone during the month of June, 2003, these are all independent projects operated separately from the MIJD. Out of roughly 30 projects contacted, these 14 responded. The goal of the Men's Initiative for Jane Doe Inc, is to help to create a collaboration and community among these projects and others across the state of Massachusetts. Entries are organized by Region: Western Mass, Central Mass, Eastern Mass. Berkshire Violence Prevention Network The Men's Resource Center of Central Massachusetts The Boston "Crew": Men Step Forward, Men of Color Outreach.
Berkshire Violence Prevention Network On Mother's Day, over 500 young men pledged to not commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women. The numbers were a little less this year because of school cuts; some of the teachers that had promised to help lost their jobs that week. The network is also restructuring their men's initiative. The man who was integral to this effort has left the group for other reasons. Future focus will be on how to continue working on getting names for an area "Strong Men Don't Bully" billboard and the green arm bands for the 4th of July roadrace. Contact person:
Men's Resource Center of Western Massachusetts In the Summer 2003 edition of "Voice Male", the MRC Quarterly Newsletter, find the following articles, and more.
Contact: Men's Resource Center: 236 No. Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA, 01002 MRC Announces "Men Walking Against Violence" Announcing "Men Walking Against Violence". October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and this year the MRC is planning to do a walk through Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin Counties to support its Men Overcoming Violence (MOVE) batterer-intervention program. Still in the early planning stages, the walk is expected to take place in early October over about five days and will cover about 75 miles. Contact: Michael Dover (413-253-9887, ext 16) Over the past 2 years Womanshelter/Compañeras has collected 900 male signatures for the Mother's Day Pledge to end men's violence against women. This year the outreach department chose to prioritize gaining male volunteers to take on next year's Mother's Day project. Contact person: New England Learning Center for Women in Transition (NELCWIT) Franklin County Men Against Domestic Violence is a happening thing! Four towns in the area have declared themselves Domestic Violence Free Zones (Greenfield, Ashfield, Leverett, and Montague) and four others have votes to be taken soon (Orange, Athol, New Salem, and Rowe). Not bad for six or seven guys meeting once a month. The group also sponsored author Lundy Bancroft, with sixty or seventy people in attendance. FCMADV also co-sponsored the Battered Mother's Testimony Project in Northampton in June. Member Jay DiPucchio received a Peace Award from the Rural Domestic Violence Prevention Project. Jay also spoke at the Take Back Our Lives March and Rally in April. Possible future projects include the Franklin County Parade in early September or having a booth at the Franklin County Fair. Contact person:
The Men's Resource Center of Central Massachusetts About 40 people attended a showing of Jackson Katz's film "Tough Guise" on March 27. Group discussion was led by two members of the Center's steering committee: Dr. Evan Graber, Director of Outpatient Services at YOU INC., and Dr. Michael Addis, Associate Professor of Psychology at Clark University. Bill Patten attended 3-day training at Emerge on Counseling Abusers. On June 6th, the MRC joined Worcester County Fathers & Family Network in sponsoring a training for practitioners: "Unfinished Business: How the Father-Son Relationship Impacts Boys, Men and Families" led by John Badalement, Ed.M. held at the MRC office. On June 14th, the MRC had a booth at Father's Fest, a celebration to promote awareness of responsible fatherhood at Institute Park in Worcester, offering free instant photos of parents and their children. Contact person:
Worcester County Fathers and Family Network We have talked in the past about the Worcester County Fathers and Family Network. We are a community organizing effort for promoting responsible fatherhood in various ways. We are part of the Children's Trust Fund State-wide Fathers and Family Network. With the many organizations involved 50-60 in Central Massachusetts, we have the ability to coordinate organizations and individuals around this issue. However, we have a lot on our plate at the moment. We are having a very big fathers Day celebration on June 14 from 1-4pm, Saturday, at Institute Park, Salisbury Street, Worcester. Its consuming my time at the present. Jane Doe/Mens Outreach might want to be there. If your interested in setting up a table, contact Beth Vietz at 508-799-3136. Contact person:
The Boston "Crew": Men Step Forward, Men of Color Outreach. The CREW's history: The CREW emerged out of the Family Violence Prevention Fund initiative to engage men of color in domestic violence prevention work. The CREW began as a work group of advocates, providers and concerned residents. We had a series of planning meetings in the Codman Square neighborhood in Dorchester. The CREW's mission statement is: We are a Coalition led by men and women of color, residents and activists, united to support loving and healthy relationships. We value culture as a source of healing and strength. We are committed to using family and community resources to prevent violence in all its forms. We promote new leadership, community development and effective public policy to accomplish these goals. The primary objective during the present time period is to conduct several informational community meetings in Eastern Massachusetts with the purpose of exploring outreach opportunities that may successfully engage and inspire men of color to step forward. These initial meetings have taken place in Dorchester Mass, Chelsea Mass and Brocton Mass. Next Steps: To convene an evaluation meeting September 23rd, 2003 Contact Persons: Juan Carlos Arean (jcarean@yahoo.com, 617-964-1688)
Campus Action on Sexual Violence (CAOS) Conference 2003 At Boston University on Saturday, April 12th, the Greater Boston chapter of the National Organization of Women (NOW), the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC), Jane Doe Inc., and the Men's Initiative for Jane Doe invited college students from across the state to build on work begun at last year's Citywide Strategy Session on Campus Sexual Assault to help end sexual violence on college campuses and in the greater community. A full day of workshops and speak-out sessions focused on coalition building and strategic planning to:
After a successful event with over forty students from more than ten area colleges in attendance, the conference website is now closed. Contact person: Carlisle Men Against Domestic Abuse and Control
The Carlisle Men Against Domestic Abuse and Control attended a food donation and outreach event in Porter Square, Cambridge, for Renewal House. Additionally, Ed LeClair will be part of the General Assembly presentation at the Unitarian Universal Church Annual Meeting, which will be in Boston this year. The group was able to raise approximately 10% of the donations for the Walk for Women's Lives in Concord, held on one of the few sunny days of spring. Contact person:
The Family Violence Prevention Fund The Family Violence Prevention Fund launched a groundbreaking campaign that asks men to give rather than receive on Father's Day 2003. Their gift marked a turning point in the movement to end violence against women and children as they made a public stand on the issue and became role models to other men. All participants earned "Founding Father" status, as the money raised will seed efforts to build an
International Center in San Francisco where the issue of violence will be addressed through experiential and artistic programming. Contact person: National Organization for Men Against Sexism – Boston Chapter (NOMAS-Boston) Founded in 2000 after the 25th Annual Conference on Men & Masculinity, NOMAS-Boston is working to bring local communities, organizations, and college students together to break down barriers about issues surrounding sexism, racism, and homophobia and show that living without being confined to one's gender roles will enhance our lives. The group meets every 1-2 months to plan events, provide thanks and support for organizations effecting positive change, and to support one another. A recent highlight was participation in a fundraiser for battered women's shelters in the Concord area on April 27th. The event was organized and run by the Walk for Women's Lives. Several NOMAS-Boston members participated and were able to raise $295 for the event. In the upcoming months, NOMAS-Boston hopes to continue to participate in future walks and speak outs, and to form a men's discussion and support group to engage pro-feminist men in both talking about and taking action to end violence against women. Contact person: Quincy Campaign Against Family Violence The Quincy Campaign Against Family Violence was founded in September 2002. On April 15, 3003, organizers of the Quincy Campaign Against Family Violence held its launch event at Quincy Medical Center, which was open to all city residents. Included in the evening's program: Karen Flood, Independent Educator, Consultant, and survivor, Chuck Callan, CO-Chair, White Ribbon Campaign Plymouth County, and Vice President United Way Old Colony, Barbara Fuyat, Executive Director, South Shore Women's Center, Plymouth County White Ribbon Campaign. Further, the three Honorary Co-Chairs for the Quincy White Ribbon Campaign include Norfolk District Attorney William R. Keating, Norfolk County Sheriff Michael Bellotti and Quincy Mayor William Phelan; all addressed the audience as to the importance of men's involvement in this arena. The evening launch event included the city's first White Ribbon Ceremony – recognition of men pledging "never to commit, condone, or remain silent about violence against women". The ceremony was moving, inspiring, and well-received. More than eighty people attended, and Star Market provided a beautiful array of appetizers, fresh fruit, and desserts. The group meets monthly September through June. The purpose of the Quincy Campaign Against Family Violence: to collectively encourage a city free from violence. The group strives to educate city residents and local professionals about the prevalence of family violence in our communities – in homes, schools and the workplace – and give them tools to stop violence when they see it or offer support when they suspect it. The Campaign seeks to empower, and to invite men and boys to take a lead role in this critical work toward prevention. The Campaign seeks to ensure that residents and professionals alike give the elimination of family violence the highest priority until it no longer exists in the communities where they live and work. The Campaign is endorsed by a long list of local leaders and organizations, including the City of Quincy, Manet Community Health Center, Norfolk District Attorney Keating's Office, Norfolk County Sheriff Bellotti's Victim Services Unit, the Quincy Housing Authority – department of Support Services, the Quincy Public Schools, the Quincy Police Department, South Shore Mental Health Center, Eastern Nazarene College, Quincy Community Action Programs, Womansplace Crisis Center, DOVE, and the South Shore YMCA. The Campaign is now considering matters of infrastructure and will be forming subgroups to focus on different areas, including men's involvement and mentoring, cultural and linguistic inclusion, appropriateness and mindfulness to gay and lesbian populations, workplace violence education, neighborhood outreach, visibility and promotion, and more. This fall, the Campaign anticipates bringing the White Ribbon Campaign to the two city high schools, as well as making the Campaign available to the two city-based colleges including Quincy College and Eastern Nazarene College. Contact person:
Unitarian Universalist Multi-Church Collaborative Participants from men's discussion groups at four UU Churches formed Men Against Domestic Abuse, in support of Renewal House, support and hope for survivors of domestic abuse. Their action was to conduct a full day supply drive at the Porter Square Shopping Mall in Cambridge Mass, May 31st, 2003. Initiated in the fall of 2002, by Caitlin O'Brien, interim director for Renewal House, this project grew into a collaboration of four Men's Groups meeting within United Unitarian Universalist congregations: Arlington Mass, Lexington Mass, Carlisle Mass and Cambridge Mass. Here is a concluding report from Caitlin: Hello all you seekers of safe and just community! Ever since Alan, Bruce, David L., Dennis and I joyously lugged all of our supply drive items to Renewal House's business office, my coworkers and I have been organizing and tallying all of the donations. Attached is a list of all that you helped to provide to Renewal House, amounting to a value of $2,599.54! We estimated on the product prices because these days, they no longer put price stickers on items. But we feel that this is a pretty accurate tally. What an amazing success! The shelter is now stocked for well beyond the summer months, thanks to your courage and effort! We were able to get the full registry of dishware at Tags, and the women and kids are using the dishes as we speak. They love having their own set and they love the colors. We also have a solid back-up supply in case of breakage down the line. It looks as though we handed out about 850 flyers, meaning that 850 people were given the opportunity to learn some more about the epidemic of domestic violence. And 850 people now know that you guys care about this problem. One of my favorite aspects of the day was overhearing some of your conversations with folks -- you were all so gracious and informative. And it was so exciting to watch the momentum pick up and take off! I've received a couple calls from people who interacted with us that day and who want to give donations or come to volunteer. So we're feeling the ripple effects of your efforts. The group that is working on the GA workshop has met a couple times and we are all set to put together a great presentation on Saturday June 28th, so if any of you are at GA, please come if you can. Feel free to email or call me at 617-277-4194 to give any input for the workshop. As I write this message, two toddlers are bouncing on my lap and a new shelter guest has just arrived. The rhythm of renewal, as we say, continues. Thank you all so much for playing your part by representing Renewal House so respectfully and powerfully last week. We hope that you'll keep in touch with the program, and that those of you who wish to will join with Renewal House in the coming year to build on the momentum that we've generated. Your solidarity with us is profoundly encouraging. With so much respect and gratitude, Caitlin Contact persons: |
|
|
| [Home] [Vision] [Purpose] [Membership] [Action] [Contact] [Events] [Resources] |