I do not believe there are any accidents. Just after I made the last post about self-love in the face of an abusive situation, I viewed this video shared by a friend (Thanks, N!). It is a BRILLIANT discussion about gender violence and how it does not just effect women…it effects everyone, men included.
Jackson Katz discusses how much of gender violence efforts become a discussion of victim behaviors; he then encourages everyone to move from victim blaming to eliminating violence on the side of the perpetrators…an excellent, yet often ignored, paradigm shift. Katz encourages leadership training…not sensitivity training to eliminate the “bystander effect” of having those around who see/hear something but do/say nothing.
Similar to the caution signs at the airport: If you see something, say something! Everyone can play a part to stop gender violence through standing up for what is right and refusing to stay silent and inactive when faced with the attitudes and behaviors of a potential perpetrator.
In the talk, Katz includes an important quote from Martin Luther King Jr., “In the end, what will hurt the most is not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
This cause is so near to my heart, and it is the reason for this site’s support of the 1736 Family Crisis Center organization, which seeks to prevent and support victims of abuse — especially children. I urge you to consider donating to this cause (although I alternate between providing donations to different organizations, you can always specify which organization on the list you would like to donate by clicking the + sign next to “Add a special note to Selena Sage” before you confirm your donation…thank you!).
Thank you for taking the time to watch this important video, and even more for taking a stand and being a leader against gender violence and giving back to organizations that work to support victims and work toward eliminating this issue altogether! Be the change!