The topsy-turvy world of men who oppose anti-violence campaigns

[ismnotwasm]

Last edited Thu Jul 25, 2013, 02:12 AM - Edit history (1)

At the start of this year, my friend and WMC’s Women Under Siege director, Lauren Wolfe, started a Twitter hashtag, #2013EndRape, to highlight the epidemic of sexualized violence against women. Its purpose was to up the online information campaign about this global scourge a few notches. While the hashtag has seen success, one of the unintended consequences has been its trolling and attacks on it by various “Men’s Rights Activists.”

These guys have decided that #2013EndRape is simply a space for “man-haters” (along with other such “evil” hashtags that draw readers’ attention to stories about rape, such as the commonly used #VAW—you know, that convoluted and surely insidious acronym for “Violence Against Women”).



A “men’s rights” group plastered these posters around the University of Alberta campus in Edmonton, Canada, at the beginning of July. Similar-minded men have been trolling our #2013EndRape hashtag.

Wolfe wrote to me today asking what kind of men would angrily rail against a hashtag that tries to gather stories about violence as a means to better understanding a universal problem. There are no tweets about hating men under it; there are tweets that cite facts and stories and global reasons behind sexualized violence—against both women and men.

As a man, I can see two types of people not liking #2013EndRape:

Ignorant men:

I don’t think many men who oppose such initiatives actually come out of their close-knit circle of patriarchy to explore the world of violence against women at all. If they did, they’d learn quickly that women don't like being catcalled, or groped by strangers, or date-raped, or that spousal rape can be just as damaging as any other form of rape. That, in my opinion, is the lead cause of attacks on anti-rape campaigns.

More:

http://www.womenundersiegeproject.org/blog/entry/the-topsy-turvy-world-of-men-who-oppose-anti-violence-campaigns

[Just Saying]

1. Very disturbing.

My experience with "men's rights groups" online has been that they are nasty and seem to hate women. Have whatever group you like but men's rights don't seem in danger to me. Am I missing something?

I know that most rapes aren't even reported and of those that are, it's difficult to prove. Is there an epidemic of false reports or is this just an attack on the victims of sexual assault? It feels like this is just a nasty way to blame the victim. How about "Just because she couldn't say no, doesn't mean she wanted to have sex with you."

Can't tell you how little I think of men who sleep with drunk women and act like it's an accomplishment. And then going on to blame the woman for his pathetic actions?

[ismnotwasm]

3. Yeah it's disturbing

To be fair, there are activists for men who are more interested in unfair custody cases, things like fighting toxic masculinity expectations or ensuring young men are making it to college--but these kind of groups try to legitimize Misogyny talking points.

And you're right; raping a drunk women and excusing it is just as sick as any other way to rape.

[Arcanetrance]

2. I wish these guys would stop perpetuating the idea that the women involved in these campaigns hate

men. In my experience nothing could be father from the truth they want men to be involved and end the epidemic of rape. But the truth would interfere with these guys twisted view of the world

[ismnotwasm]

4. I know right?

It's not about hating men, it never was. It's about stopping rape.

[nomorenomore08]

5. When I get down on myself I can at least take comfort in the fact that I'm not one of these assholes

[ismnotwasm]

6. Heh!

Damn right!