Bonsu 1
Eunice Bonsu
February 2, 2012
Laurie McGauley
WOMN 1105
The White Ribbon Campaign:
Involving Men and Boys in Ending Global Violence against Women
In todays society boys and men put on a “Tough Guise” attitude in order to prove
to others that they are the Alpha male. The reason for this kind of attitude that most men
possess is due to their previous experience, with their older male counterparts. Men are
taught to be leaders that are always in control, which makes them believe that they hold
authority over others. No matter how successful or unsuccessful a man is, they still want
to feel responsible and respected in the family. Abusive men tend to find ways to create
conflict; for example, if dinner is not ready when they arrive home from work, they will
use this as an excuse to abuse their wives in order to show control. But what is it that
makes men so obsessed with having control that they feel the need to abuse others in
order to gain it?
In the paragraph “Patriarchal Power: The First P”, the author Michael Kaufman
answers this question in his written piece entitled “The White Ribbon Campaign ;
involving men and boys in ending Global violence against Women”, by discussing how
some men are abusive towards other men and not just women. His main point is that men
Bonsu 2
who try to prove that they have strong personalities tend to abuse others regardless of
their size, gender, or social standing. Some men abuse other men simply because they see
them as easy targets, they are either smaller or more “feminine” than themselves. These
men feel that they are obligated to abuse others because they are bigger or stronger and
therefore believe that in this fashion they will gain control. The question is why do some
men feel the need to treat others with disrespect? In the past, the laws against abuse were
not as strict; therefore, reports of abuse often got ignored.
In the movie “Tough Guise” they show that young men know what society thinks
about women, being feminine and men needing to be masculine. It seems as though
society has a huge impact on the way people carry themselves; for example, in certain
impoverished areas men put on a persona of being tough I order to survive in that society.
If you are constantly being taught about, gender equality this “Tough Guise” persona
would not have an effect.
Behind this tough persona men, just like women get hurt, have feelings and can be
emotional. Society has come up with the idea that men who are not afraid to show their
true emotions are more feminine and therefore often get ridiculed for that fact.
The author continues by talking about the social and psychological cause of men’s
violence. Violence against women would not continue if there were stricter laws and
regulations against it. The law in many countries does not advocate for violence against
women to end because they feel that if the woman did not deserve the abuse it would not
have happened in the first place. If a women is being sexually assaulted and she did not
have enough evidence to prove to the law that it happened she will not receive any help
and it will be considered he fault.
Bonsu 3
In most countries right now all these things are going on without the law doing
anything to put a stop to them or to help woman be respected by men. For example in the
Muslim culture women are to cover up no matter what in order to be respected by men,
and if they refuse wear their traditional clothing men will not treat them with respect.
Women all over the world get judged based on their appearance rather that their
personality or intellect.
The Paradox of Men’s Power: The Fourth ‘P’, talk, about how many men carry anger
in them from when they are young. It is true that some men are abused by other male,
family members, teachers, older friends etc. because of the way they dress or talk, this
allows men to believe that abuse is okay, these men usually grow up to be abusive. One
thing that I have seen personally by some men is that, they take out on innocent women
due to the fact that they are an easy target.
The Psychic Armour of Manhood: The Fifth ‘P’ is about young children lacking their
parenthood. This should not be the case why some men abuse women because he did not
have his father around growing up. Some men did not have their parent around when
growing up but they manage not to pick on the bad experience they had when they were
kids but rather try to be better people towards other because they never had that kind of
experience.
Masculinity as a Psychic Pressure Cooker: The Sixth ‘P’ talks about how guys are
taught how to deal with pain. Often times when children growing up as men parent and
other around them will tell them are man and not supposed to cry in public or people will
laugh at them. Because this has been put in their head they always want to act tough
around people to prove that they are still the man. Even when a man is hurt and has to let
Bonsu 4
the pain out, he will rather pretend that all is well and deals with the pain inside and the
moment a women make a mistake by saying some to upset him they take it on them as if
they hurt them or they told them not to cry about the pain.
The Seventh ‘P’: Past Experiences, talks about how most men from abusive homes are
more likely to become violent. Why should an innocent woman suffer from your parent
abuse, something that she did not cause by any means? Some women are also from
abusive homes but at the end of the day they are married with children without being
abusive towards the husbands but rather love them like how a wife is supposed to love a
husband. Some boys see violence as normal to them because they grow up fighting,
bullying, and brutalizing.
Some of the questions are ask my group is, why do men take their frustrations to
women is that a way for them to deal with it or what? Do they think that, men being
educated about abuse women will help stop the violence against women? Some answered
that not all man take the education seriously and also even if they are willing to let some
one educate it should not be force on them. Others were wondering how they are going to
educate them about it. Are they actually going to bring some women who are has being
abuse before to educate them or what? How come most men are abusive because they are
from abusive homes and some of them also say is because of their cultural background
that has made them abusive? but most women who are from abusive homes are still able
to move on from the past?
To conclude, violence against women still happens because of culture, economy, and
law. When I talked to my group most people suggested that these men who are abusive
towards women are being educated to stop the violence but if the culture rules do not stop
Bonsu 5
then how are they going to get this education and come out successfully also, if the
economy does not change they will still be frustrated when they have been educated and
still take it out on people and the law has to hold them responsible for their actions so that
when they are being educated they will take it seriously, knowing that when they do not
take it seriously and abuse a woman the law will hold them responsible for their actions.
The White Ribbon Campaign has involved some men in the campaign to stop violence
again women and I think is a good idea because it will help the men who are violent
towards women stop the violence knowing there are other men who are supporting them.
This is also done to help those men who use violence against their wives, girlfriends,
family members, or strangers. This will help the government take this seriously to help
the violence end. The important place the White Ribbon Campaign is focusing on is
school systems to reach out to boys who’s ideas about the other sex are still forming so
that they also do not become violent when they grow up.
Bonsu 6
References
The Gendered Society. Michael S. Kimmel, Oxford University Press. New York.
2000. Page 429