Prevention
What is Primary Prevention?
Primary prevention seeks to reduce the likelihood that anyone will become a victim or perpetrator of intimate partner violence by creating conditions that make violence less likely to occur. Primary prevention focuses on reducing risk factors associated with the perpetration of domestic and sexual violence, as well as finding ways to change social norms that support and promote violence.
Primary Prevention Programming:
Men Encouraging Nonviolent Strength (MENS) Club is a primary prevention program that seeks to support male identified youth in their journey growing up male. Discussions and activities focus on attitudes and behaviors associated with gender roles and expectations, communication, conflict resolution, as well as the dynamics of healthy and less-healthy relationships. MENS Club takes place in various community locations such as high schools, middle schools, and community centers.
By engaging diverse male-identified young people in critical conversations about the root causes of gender-based violence, participants gain the knowledge and skills to develop violence free relationships based in gender equity. It also helps youth act as leaders in their community by taking action in their daily lives to support gender equity and non-violence.
MENS Club meets weekly for a minimum of 50 minutes and for a minimum of 10 sessions. Groups can occur during regular school hours as part of a class, before school, after school, over the lunch hour or during summer breaks. MENS Club uses curriculum that aids in social-emotional development and engages multiple learning styles, such as peer-based large discussion, journaling, and media analysis.
MENS Club was developed as part of a nation-wide initiative through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This initiative, called the Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership through Alliances (DELTA) program, provided funding to 14 state-level domestic violence coalitions, including the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WCADV). This allowed Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) and community partners to develop and implement MENS Club.
For inquiries in enrolling a male identified youth group in MEN’S, please contact Faye Zemel at: fayez@abuseintervention.org