About a week ago, I posted on an article in the New York Times that highlighted states’ efforts at dating violence prevention, noting that the majority of these efforts were aimed at changing the behavior of girls (e.g., victims) as opposed to working to change perpetrators’ behavior.
Today, I came across an article by friend and fabulous feminist Courtney Martin, who makes the same point much more eloquently than I did:
“But holding young women primarily responsible for preventing male violence is like telling young men that ending the epidemic of eating disorders in this country is ultimately up to them. Sure, there is a thin ideal, a $40 billion diet industry, and psychological, physiological, and genetic influences at work, but that’s nothing that a little encouragement from a supportive boyfriend can’t solve, right?”
Courtney gets it exactly right — and I encourage you to go read the entire piece: “Deadly Medicine for Youth Violence“
Thanks Brenda! I’m so glad that our worlds (anti-violence movement, women’s studies etc.) are talking about this. xo