Working with boys and men in primary prevention: What works and what does not Dr Michael Flood Citation: Flood, M. (2015). “Working with boys and men in primary prevention: What works and what does not.” DVNSW Annual Conference, November 3-4, Sydney.

Three contributions 1.What works in engaging men and boys in primary prevention of MVAW 2.Making the case to men 3.Challenges in work with men and boys: –Feminist agendas and movements –An intersectional approach –Mobilising men

Prevention: Evaluations Evaluations of primary prevention strategies are rare. –In Australia there is not a single methodologically strong evaluation (pre- and post-intervention, with a control or comparison group). Existing evaluations are limited, methodologically and conceptually. But there is an increasing expectation of ‘evidence- based practice’.

Existing evaluations Weaknesses in existing evaluations, to do with: –Measures –Control and comparison groups –Follow-up –Mediators of change –Applicability, transferability, scalability ‘Economy’ and ‘deluxe’ models of evaluation…

There is evidence of effectiveness 3 reviews of published studies among men and boys (WHO 2007; Ricardo et al. 2011; Dworkin et al. 2013). Plus other reviews… Interventions, if well designed, can produce change in attitudes and behaviours. –And that’s a big ‘if’.

The foundations of prevention practice Informed: Based on a sound understanding of both the problem and of how it can be changed. Comprehensive: Use multiple strategies, in multiple settings, and at multiple levels Engaging: Meaningful and involving Relevant: To the communities and contexts in which they are delivered

An intervention framework and logic A feminist theoretical framework –Address the fundamental links between gendered power relations or inequalities and violence against women. –Address both physical and sexual violence. –Address the factors known to be antecedents to violent behaviour, including e.g. constructions of gender and sexuality. –Go beyond attitudes.

A spectrum of prevention: micro to macro Level of SpectrumDefinition Strengthening Individual Knowledge and Skills Enhancing an individual’s capability of preventing violence and promoting safety Promoting Community EducationReaching groups of people with information and resources to prevent violence and promote safety Educating ProvidersInforming providers who will transmit skills and knowledge to others and model positive norms Fostering Coalitions and NetworksBringing together groups and individuals for broader goals and greater impact Changing Organizational PracticesAdopting regulations and shaping norms to prevent violence and improve safety Influencing Policies and LegislationEnacting laws and policies that support healthy community norms and a violence- free society

The field: Transforming men and masculinities through combined changes across the social ecology

Level 2: Community Education Face-to-face educational groups and programs: –Strong evidence of positive impact on attitudes and behaviours. Although not all programs are effective. –5 criteria for good practice: (1) a whole-school approach; (2) a program framework and logic; (3) effective curriculum delivery; (4) relevant, inclusive and culturally sensitive practice; (5) impact evaluation

Level 2: Community Education Some issues in practice: –Duration –A whole-of-school approach –Men educating men among men?

Community Education continued Communication and social marketing –Well-developed campaigns have produced positive change in men’s attitudes and behaviours Some issues of good practice –Combined with on-the-ground community development and mobilisation –Intensity and duration –Difficulties in reaching and changing men… –Understanding men

Level 3: Educating Providers (and other professionals) Organisational and workplace strategies: –Often involve working with men in male-dominated institutions. –Examples: with coaches, police, military forces, faith leaders Some issues of good practice –Intervening in sexist and violence-supportive cultures –Building institutional gender equality

Level 4: Engaging, Strengthening, and Mobilising Communities To change the social norms, gender roles, and power relations which feed into violence against women. Strategies include: economic empowerment, social empowerment interventions with vulnerable groups (such as sex workers), community mobilisation Issues in practice: –Male backlash when empowering women

Community mobilisation among men Including networks, movements, and collective advocacy Examples: –Men’s Action to Stop Violence Against Women (MASVAW), India –One Man Can, South Africa. –The White Ribbon campaign, in over 60 countries

Level 5: Changing Organisational Practices And organisational or institutional cultures. Especially male-dominated and homosocial contexts.

Level 6: Influencing Policies and Legislation Law and policy: –have a wide-reaching effect –can shift social norms –are vital for establishing and disseminating particular strategies of prevention –are enabling. Evidence e.g. of associations between levels of funding and levels of MVAW

Making the case to men The things which stop men from getting involved… Appeals: –Personalise the issue, Show that men will benefit, Start where men are, Build on strengths, Start with small steps and build to bigger things, Show that other men agree, Popularise violence prevention and feminism, Diminish fears of others’ reactions, Provide knowledge and skills in intervention, Provide opportunities and invitations for involvement, Build communities of support

Start where men are Start with men wherever they are. Have ‘messengers’ with whom those men can identify. Risk: failing to challenge male privilege. Invite men into processes of personal and collective change.

Start with small steps and build to bigger things. Offer both a desired end state and small steps and mini-goals. Acknowledge ‘well-meaning’ as a launching pad for men’s involvement. And challenge men to reach further.

Popularise violence prevention and feminism Counter negative perceptions of feminism in general and (feminist) violence prevention in particular. Work with men to: –Reclaim the F-word. –Develop a language of support for feminist ideals.

Provide opportunities and invitations for involvement Go to where men are. Reach them particularly through personal networks. –Using tailored, individual conversations with men in their existing social, family or professional networks. But also reach out past existing networks.

Build communities of support In both informal friendship groups and formal organisations and networks –Both face-to-face and online. Create new kinds of social networks or peer groups for men, which meet men’s social and expressive needs and are different from men’s traditional homosocial networks.

Three challenges in work with men and boys 1.Embed the work in feminist agendas and movements for gender justice 2.Adopt an intersectional approach 3.Mobilise men: Build a movement

1. Embed the work in feminist agendas and movements The ‘turn to men’ in gender politics –Too much of this work has only a weak feminist politics. –HeForShe campaign (UN Women, 2014-) Protectionist, individualist, sets the bar very low, and appeases men. –The White Ribbon Campaign in Australia A feminist project. But much of the work is done by women, the campaign has less focus than other countries’ on men’s roles in prevention, and the WR Foundation has weak relations with feminist groups and the sector.

A renewed feminist agenda Address material and structural gender inequalities

2. Adopt an intersectional approach Gender intersects with such forms of social difference such as class, race and ethnicity, sexuality, age, and disability. Men’s violence against women is shaped by intersecting forms of disadvantage and privilege. Efforts to engage men must be intersectional in their practice.

3. Mobilise men: Build a movement Raise men’s consciousness, politicise them, and turn them into activists. Build alliances and networks with women’s groups and movements. Build alliances with other social justice movements.

To continue to make progress, we must… Draw on effective forms of prevention, and build the evidence; Make the case to men for involvement; Build activist networks and movements. Contact:

Resources Online resources on men’s roles in ending violence against women: – Dr Michael Flood’s publications: – Contact: