Men must help end harassment

Sometimes I fear that people flyering on Locust Walk are single-handedly destroying the rainforests.

With so many flyers, it seems only natural that Penn students simply disregard them.

So of course I was disappointed when I learned that as part of the University's grant from the Violence Against Women Act, groups at Penn will be distributing leaflets to help combat violence against women and inform women of available resources.

They expect to make a difference -- with leaflets?

The Violence Against Women Act grant is managed in conjunction with Penn Women's Center and provides funds to raise awareness of sexual harassment and violence directed toward women at University City colleges.

The question is: Are they making a difference?

Maybe.

But the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape reported that less than 5 percent of rapes or attempted rapes of college women are reported. In addition, the 2004 National Crime Victimization Survey found that one American woman in six has been the victim of rape or attempted rape.

Obviously, we need to do more.

The list of Penn groups aimed at promoting women's rights and raising awareness is endless and possibly overwhelming. There's the Penn Consortium of Undergraduate Women, Penn for Choice, Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape, Women in Thought, the Feminology Project and more.

Yet these groups tend to be focused inward, providing solidarity and support for their members. And while group bonding is important and helps to plant the seed of passion, without a way to germinate such messages will never flower.

Events such as screenings, discussions and coffee-house meetings are important and illuminating to those who attend, but often fail to attract large crowds.

Rather than hosting coffeehouse gathering and distributing leaflets, women need to spread the message to those who need to hear it the most: men.

Most perpetrators of sexual harassment are male, and men should be learning what constitutes the modern definition of rape and harassment. Being better equipped to look after their female friends wouldn't hurt either.

Luckily, members of the V-Day Campaign, an international movement to stop violence against women, have started the ball rolling Tuesday by hosting a dialogue with the brothers of the Delta Psi fraternity -- also know as Saint Anthony's -- to discuss violence against women.

Shockingly, this was the first formal co-ed discussion about violence toward women on Penn's campus.

"It is important to involve both men and women in these forums -- because the only way for progress and change to happen is through dialogues like these," V-Day Publicity Chairwoman and College sophomore Katy Glickman said.

Saint Anthony's President and College junior Nick Barber agreed.

"While they were certainly many conflicting views, the general feeling was one of openness and working together to prevent abuse," he remarked. "We'd like this to be an ongoing forum."

In addition to events such as this, V-Day also promotes awareness through yearly productions of Eve Ensler's Vagina Monologues, occurring later this month.

Vagina Monologues looks deeply at female sexuality, giving voice to women's phobias, pleasures, fantasies and fears. For women, the piece is a celebration of female empowerment. For men, it's an important education and another way to involve men in the dialogue about women's sexuality.

This year, with two performances and more than 40 women from different social circles, the organizers hope to draw an even greater audience.

That includes men.

If every woman involved brings one man, that's more than 40 men right there. And with 1,260 seats in the theater, the V-Day crew has the opportunity to spread its message to more than 2,500 people, male and female.

So men, take a hint from the boys at St. A's and take a proactive role in countering violence toward women. And women, encourage your male friends to speak up and to go see the Vagina Monologues. Better yet, go yourselves.

It's more entertaining than a leaflet, and you might even learn something.

Kate Bracaglia is a junior English major from Basking Ridge, N.J. e-mail is . Static Quo appears on Wednesdays.

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