The idea of safe space for men comes up on campus, especially in conversations about the campus women’s centres. Some students believe that if women have safe spaces on campus where they can hang out and drink tea for free, so should men. But should they, really?
Of course men should be able to enjoy a cup of tea with other men and just hang out, and no one is stopping them from doing that. But the concept of men having safe space on campus shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Since the 1970s women have made great strides revolutionizing dominant institutions, laws, and tolerance levels. Women’s opportunities for jobs, education, and benefits, alongside abortion rights and, as of 1982, the implementation of equal rights for all in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, has been instrumental in the women’s movement.
However, it has created an antifeminist backlash, and this has come in the form of resistance. The media and government are now proclaiming that the pendulum has swung too far, and some men are claiming they are the disadvantaged and oppressed sex.
A countermovement is being led by pro-men’s groups trying to re-appropriate male power and privilege lost to second-wave feminism by playing the card of male victim.
Although there are men who are psychologically and physically mistreated by their intimate partners, studies prove that female partners are abused more frequently and suffer far more serious injury. In 88 percent of all violent incidents males are identified as the suspects; half of all incidents involve a male perpetrator and a female victim, according to the FREDA Centre for Research on Violence against Women and Children.
The argument that men are equals in suffering abuse from women seems to be more of a mechanism to silence feminism. It takes away from the very problem of violence against women.
The Stephen Harper government has repeatedly cut funding to women’s shelters and organizations. The perception is that if violence is happening to both men and women, money doesn’t need to go into any victim organizations.
I have yet to see a men’s group working from a grassroots level, providing support and care and services to male victims.
Some fringe men’s groups are putting their energies into finding ways to get back at females and rejecting feminist claims of women victims of violence.
If men’s safe spaces are really needed today, we all must establish why they are needed, and how they can be productive, rather than hostile.
Discussing this topic openly can only encourage more understanding between each other. And let’s be clear about this, Men do not need Women’s approval to have a male safe space on campus. We pay tuition, taxes, and have the right to determine what our own needs are.
Sahra’s comment illustrates a important point. In a male safe space we are free to quote from any source we deem relevant. Whether it be a film, a book, pornography, or where ever we deem relevant. Fight Club included.
It’s time that men stop asking for permission, and start demanding equality. Then those non-males who with to enter our space will be told to check their privilege and prejudice at the door.
Really well done. That is exactly the kind of conversation that needs to happen on our campus. With the nexus publishing Mens-right dogma its nice to finally have a progressive counter balance. Very nice job, so much appreciation from this womens collective member.
Also, reading the comments above… It’s not about equality, its about equity. At Camosun there is a need for a safe space for women. We have women that use the space to eat separately from men due to religious practice. In response to the comment above, the women’s centre actively takes steps to improve safety for all students not only in a reactionary setting. this year has seen lectures on gender, self defense classes and advocacy.
Check your privileged before dictating use of safe space and don’t quote fight club when discussing issues of safety.
The question is not in the equality of abuse. If 88% of rape victims were blondes would it be right to only help blondes and leave the brunettes and redheads out on the street?
A men’s center is not about women bashing or bringing down the feminist movement. First, it’s about EQUALITY, I think that is something we are striving for here. Second, it’s about having a space where men can get together and learn what it is to be a man in todays changing world. Many boys don’t have fathers or male role models. At Daycare they are taken care of by women and then sent home to their mothers. As Fight Club says, “We are a society of men raised by women.” and “If our fathers are a model for god and our fathers failed us…”
I, as a man, think that what the Harper Government is doing is wrong. We need Women’s Centers more than ever. The only problem is that facilities like Women’s Center and Women’s Rights only deal with the aftermath of violence and rape (and also help to push for laws/enforcement). Now, while I stand behind this 100% and believe that some of the measures brought about do bring about prevention, they only go so far. Prevention must be dealt with at the source. If we bring up men to learn that solving their problems (domestic and otherwise) with violence is wrong and give them the social tools to solve them properly then we are helping to prevent future incidents of violence and bring that 88% down.
Men who are the perpetrators of violence against women need to be punished but they also need to taught how to be real men. Some of these men were exposed to violent households growing up and learned from these incidents to mimic what they saw. And so the cycle continued. By having a safe environment where role models and peers can help boys and men be exposed to proper responsible behaviour (and learn to take care of themselves as well), we can help prevent this osmosis of violence and work toward a better future together.
Some quick Googling would have found the Men’s Trauma Centre, located here in Victoria (http://www.menstrauma.com/). They provide services for male survivors of assault, abuse and other violent acts. This is very much a support centre, where males can feel safe while receiving support and counselling. Safe places for men are needed, where the hegemonic structures of our patriarchal society can be disassembled and we can begin to change our social world into one where equality is true and not a facade.