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Film series aims to end domestic violence
September 29, 2006
As a student at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., Jonathan Grove interned at the local police station as a victim’s advocate. Nearly 90 percent of his clients were victims of domestic violence.
“I was frustrated because on the law enforcement side of things I couldn’t help more than through the legal system – the crime had already happened,” he said. “I wanted to help before it happened.”
After his experience, he changed his concentration from forensic psychology to history and gender studies to prepare for a career educating men about the relationship between gender roles and violence. Through education, he hoped to stop violence before it occurred, he said.
Finding a job proved difficult, he said. Only a few dozen existed throughout the country, and none were exactly what he wanted.
Then PLU’s Women’s Center received a nearly $200,000 federal grant to create comprehensive education and training programs aimed at preventing violent crimes against women. The two-year grant created three new part-time positions: a victim’s advocate, training coordinator and a coordinator for the Men Against Violence project.
Grove was hired as the coordinator for the Men Against Violence Project, which seeks to increase men’s awareness about and involvement in preventing violent crimes against women and children. Through programming and a student group, men on campus will learn how traditional gender roles are linked to sexual assault and domestic violence, ways to help victims and how to stop domestic violence, he said.
“It was the job I’ve been wanting to do,” Grove said.
Grove’s first round of programming kicked off last week with the Men Against Violence Fall Film Series, which showcases a variety of films during fall semester that illustrate the media’s portrayal of masculinity. Movie times are Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and Fridays at noon in the Women’s Center living room. To view a complete schedule, click here.
“It’s an informal way to get everyone together and start the men’s group weekly gatherings,” Grove said.
After each showing, the group will discuss the issues and themes portrayed in the film. Grove will also offer advice on what actions students should take if they see similar events happening on campus or in the community, he said.
Grove said women are welcome to attend the movie nights. Even though some men may not want to talk about certain issues with women around, women often have valuable insights that men wouldn’t think of because their experiences are different, he said.
“In my experience, having female membership is important,” Grove said.
The series began with the educational film “Tough Guise,” which links violence in America to a society that constructs masculinity around domination and violence. The film’s creator, Jackson Katz, a leading gender violence prevention trainer, calls it a “crisis in masculinity.”
The film also points to recent development in popular culture that presents more positive versions of masculinity with room for vulnerability and interdependence. Film clips from popular Hollywood movies, like “Saving Private Ryan” and “Raging Bull,” show both the positive and negative images represented in the media.
Grove decided to start the series with “Tough Guise” because it is aimed at a student audience and provides a good introduction to the men against violence movement. The movies scheduled for Tuesday evenings are all Hollywood hits that are either referenced in “Tough Guise” or closely related to the film’s themes. The Friday afternoon movies are documentaries.
The men against violence movement grew out of the women’s movement in the 1970s, and it started to gain its own momentum in the late-1980s, Grove said. However, when compared to the women’s movement, it is still in its infancy, he said.
“Women have broken out of the 1950s mentality, but men are just starting to. It’s putting a strain on men because they aren’t able to process their emotions,” he said.
As children, males are often taught to suppress their emotions because they are taught that emotions show weakness, Grove said. This can lead to domestic violence because men who can’t process and express their emotions sometimes resort to anger and violence, he explained.
Grove points out that according to statistics, only 5 percent of the male population actually commits violent crimes against women.
“The vast majority of men don’t approve and don’t take part in it,” he said. “It’s a growing trend to call out others.”
For more information about the Men Against Violence project or the film series, contact Grove at mav@plu.edu or at ext. 6304.
After his experience, he changed his concentration from forensic psychology to history and gender studies to prepare for a career educating men about the relationship between gender roles and violence. Through education, he hoped to stop violence before it occurred, he said.
Finding a job proved difficult, he said. Only a few dozen existed throughout the country, and none were exactly what he wanted.
Then PLU’s Women’s Center received a nearly $200,000 federal grant to create comprehensive education and training programs aimed at preventing violent crimes against women. The two-year grant created three new part-time positions: a victim’s advocate, training coordinator and a coordinator for the Men Against Violence project.
Grove was hired as the coordinator for the Men Against Violence Project, which seeks to increase men’s awareness about and involvement in preventing violent crimes against women and children. Through programming and a student group, men on campus will learn how traditional gender roles are linked to sexual assault and domestic violence, ways to help victims and how to stop domestic violence, he said.
“It was the job I’ve been wanting to do,” Grove said.
Grove’s first round of programming kicked off last week with the Men Against Violence Fall Film Series, which showcases a variety of films during fall semester that illustrate the media’s portrayal of masculinity. Movie times are Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and Fridays at noon in the Women’s Center living room. To view a complete schedule, click here.
“It’s an informal way to get everyone together and start the men’s group weekly gatherings,” Grove said.
After each showing, the group will discuss the issues and themes portrayed in the film. Grove will also offer advice on what actions students should take if they see similar events happening on campus or in the community, he said.
Grove said women are welcome to attend the movie nights. Even though some men may not want to talk about certain issues with women around, women often have valuable insights that men wouldn’t think of because their experiences are different, he said.
“In my experience, having female membership is important,” Grove said.
The series began with the educational film “Tough Guise,” which links violence in America to a society that constructs masculinity around domination and violence. The film’s creator, Jackson Katz, a leading gender violence prevention trainer, calls it a “crisis in masculinity.”
The film also points to recent development in popular culture that presents more positive versions of masculinity with room for vulnerability and interdependence. Film clips from popular Hollywood movies, like “Saving Private Ryan” and “Raging Bull,” show both the positive and negative images represented in the media.
Grove decided to start the series with “Tough Guise” because it is aimed at a student audience and provides a good introduction to the men against violence movement. The movies scheduled for Tuesday evenings are all Hollywood hits that are either referenced in “Tough Guise” or closely related to the film’s themes. The Friday afternoon movies are documentaries.
The men against violence movement grew out of the women’s movement in the 1970s, and it started to gain its own momentum in the late-1980s, Grove said. However, when compared to the women’s movement, it is still in its infancy, he said.
“Women have broken out of the 1950s mentality, but men are just starting to. It’s putting a strain on men because they aren’t able to process their emotions,” he said.
As children, males are often taught to suppress their emotions because they are taught that emotions show weakness, Grove said. This can lead to domestic violence because men who can’t process and express their emotions sometimes resort to anger and violence, he explained.
Grove points out that according to statistics, only 5 percent of the male population actually commits violent crimes against women.
“The vast majority of men don’t approve and don’t take part in it,” he said. “It’s a growing trend to call out others.”
For more information about the Men Against Violence project or the film series, contact Grove at mav@plu.edu or at ext. 6304.