Men Standing Up: Taking Action Against Sexual Assault
Boulder, Colorado (February 13, 2009) |
 Moving to End Sexual Assault (MESA) is hosting a gathering at Boulder Beer to introduce their community program Men Standing Up to interested participants. It is a cutting edge program that provides an opportunity for men to get involved in their community and take action against sexual assault.
Men need to join men in the fight to end
violence against women and girls. Men need to help, support and inspire each other to understand what it really means to be a man. Men are not better and are not stronger than women. Men have no right to assume that they are in
anyway above women. To be a man is to be supportive of women, to love women, to
cherish women, to listen to women. To be a man is to be emotional and tender
and not be afraid to show it. To be a man is be able to be with and around
women. Whether or not a man is affected by violence of any kind, it is important
to think about these things. Survivors of sexual assault are your mothers, grandmothers, aunts,
daughters, sisters, nieces and partners
Every man can help end violence against women
and girls because whether you think so or not it likely DOES affect you in some
way. Do you worry about your female friends when you don't leave the bar together on
Saturday night? Do you worry about my mother walking to her car in the mall parking
lot alone at anytime of day? Do you worry about my partner's niece on the
playground? Based on the statistics violence against women affects one in four women in their lifetimes, it affects men and boys too.
Men Standing Up program provides an opportunity for men to participate on different levels such as giving presentations to groups of young boys; staffing tables at festivals and farmer markets; helping with social media; or just attending educational events. The program is about educating the community and each other about how to make a difference.
Lance Smith, a local realtor explains "My reason was simple for joining MESA's men's group. I have a daughter
and a wife. And then I heard the following: When men stand up against
violence against women, the world is going to change. And then I
thought, if it isn't me who will?? This is a man's problem, so I have
one questions for all the men out there? Do you know a girl??"
The evening at Boulder Beer will be an opportunity to learn more about the program, have a beer and participate in the dialogue that can change our community.
Men Standing Up Kick-Off
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
6:00 - 8:00 pm
Boulder Beer, 2880 Wilderness Place, Boulder, CO
$10 donation receives a free Boulder Beer
$15 donation receives a free Boulder Beer and a Men Standing Up T-shirt (while supplies last)
$20
donation receives a free Boulder Beer, a Men Standing Up T-shirt and a
MESA pint glass! (while supplies last for T-shirt and Pint Glass)
Must
be present on February 17th to receive the free Boulder Beer however
T-shirt and Pint Glass will be sent if you cannot attend and would like
to support the program)
To reserve your space - click here
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