Engaging men and boys in preventing family violence
On this page
- Why it’s important to engage men and boys
- Resources for ending gender-based violence
- International resources
Why it’s important to engage men and boys
Engaging men and boys is critical in preventing family violence and promoting health relationships. As partners in change, they can encourage respect and disrupt harmful attitudes and behaviours.
This work starts with:
- understanding that family violence affects everyone, including men and boys
- making sure that all survivors, including men and boys, can access support
- to heal from past harm and build healthy relationships
- recognizing that men and boys often experience pressure to be tough
- which can make it hard to talk about feelings, build safe, healthy relationships or ask for help
- creating safe, supportive communities for men and boys
- places where they can connect, learn from each other and take positive action
- equipping men and boys with tools to recognize and challenge harmful or violent attitudes and behaviours
- online, in locker rooms, in classrooms or in their communities
By joining the conversation and speaking out against violence, men and boys:
- model positive behaviours
- help create safe, healthy relationships
- advance gender equality at home, in schools, in workplaces and beyond
Resources for ending gender-based violence
The following organizations focus on engaging men and boys in preventing family violence and promoting healthy relationships.
White Ribbon: Engaging men and boys as allies to promote gender equality
White Ribbon is a global movement to end gender-based violence and discrimination by engaging men and boys as allies.
White Ribbon works to promote healthy masculinities and advance gender equity through education, awareness-raising, outreach and training. Resources include campaigns, tools, strategies and reports.
Shift: The project to end domestic violence
Shift works to prevent gender-based violence by turning knowledge into action. This entails research, learning from communities and partners, and working directly with men in male-dominated fields.
Shift has developed resources on how to engage and mobilize men and boys in preventing gender-based violence and promoting gender equality.
Next Gen Men: Changing the way we see, act and think about masculinity
Next Gen Men promotes positive masculinities, improves men’s mental health and advances gender equity through programs, community education and workplace initiatives.
Resources include reports, guides and toolkits for educators, parents and service providers.
International resources
The following international organizations focus on engaging men and boys in preventing family violence and promoting healthy relationships.
OurWatch: Masculinity and violence against women
OurWatch is an Australian organization that focuses on preventing violence against women. Its work includes turning research findings into accessible resources and tools for practitioners who engage men and boys in preventing violence and promoting healthy masculinity.
Wales Without Violence
Wales Without Violence is a framework that focuses on supporting professionals to end violence among children and young people. This resource offers an evidence-informed toolkit. The toolkit contains information for understanding, supporting and assessing the role that programs engaging men and boys can play in preventing violence.
Futures Without Violence
Futures Without Violence provides programs, policies and campaigns that support individuals and organizations working to end violence against women and children around the world. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice, this organization created Engaging Men as Leaders to End Violence: A National Strategy Center. The Center is a consolidated hub to learn and share programs and best practices that support the engagement of men as allies and partners in efforts to end violence.
Learn more about family violence: