1. Approach gender violence as a MEN’S issue — men of all ages and socioeconomic, racial and ethnic backgrounds. View men not only as perpetrators or possible offenders, but as empowered bystanders who can confront abusive peers.
2. If a brother, friend, classmate, or teammate is abusing a female partner — or is disrespectful or abusive to girls and women in general — don’t look the other way. Talk about it and urge him to seek help. DON’T REMAIN SILENT.
3. HAVE THE COURAGE TO LOOK INWARD. Question your own attitudes. Try hard to understand how your own attitudes and actions might inadvertently perpetuate sexism and violence, and work toward changing them.
4. If you suspect a woman close to you is being abused or has been sexually assaulted, GENTLY ASK if you can help.
5. If you are or were emotionally, psychologically, physically, or sexually abusive to women get professional help NOW.
6. BE AN ALLY to women who are working to end all forms of gender violence. Support the work of campus-based women’s centers. Attend “Take Back the Night” rallies and other public events. Raise money for rape crisis centers and battered women’s shelters.
7. RECOGNIZE AND SPEAK OUT against homophobia and gay-bashing. This abuse also has direct links to sexism (eg. the sexual orientation of men who speak out against sexism is often questioned, a conscious or unconscious strategy intended to silence them. This is a key reason few men do so).
8. Attend programs, take courses, watch films, read articles and books about multicultural masculinities, gender inequality, and the root causes of gender violence. EDUCATE yourself & others about how social forces affect conflicts between men and women.
9. DON’T FUND SEXISM. Refuse to purchase any magazine, rent any video, subscribe to any Web site, or buy any music that portrays girls or women in a sexually degrading or abusive manner. PROTEST SEXISM IN THE MEDIA.
10. Mentor and teach young boys about how to be men in ways that don’t involve degrading or abusing girls and women. Volunteer to work with gender violence prevention programs, including anti-sexist men’s programs. LEAD BY EXAMPLE.