Preventing Teen Dating Abuse: Engaging Boys, Girls and Adults Rus Ervin Funk, MSW

Preventing Teen Dating Abuse:Preventing Teen Dating Abuse:Engaging Boys, Girls and Engaging Boys, Girls and AdultsAdults

Rus Ervin Funk, MSWwww.rusfunk.com

Use/Critique of LanguageUse/Critique of Language

• “victim” and “survivor”• “batterer”• “violent relationships” (etc.)• “Date rape”

© 2013 Rus Ervin Funk, all rights reserved

Youth DevelopmentYouth Development Rapid developmental growth

Emotionally Physically Socially

Concrete thinkers Tend to hold rigid gender stereotypes Shift in spheres of influence from parents to

peers (in US – check if is universal) Testing boundaries Sense of “self” and power


DefinitionsDefinitions Keep two definitions of

Dating/Domestic violence in mind at all time

Legal Feminist/”victim-centered”

Based on pattern of coercive control to maintain power and control


Power and Control WheelPower and Control Wheel

Note:

Physical violence is not necessary to maintain the P/C Wheel


Dynamics of Youth who are Dynamics of Youth who are AbusedAbused

P/C wheel Exaggerate responsibility Self-Blame Minimize threat/harm Ambivalent response Asserting control Anger


Dynamics of Abusive YouthDynamics of Abusive Youth

Paradigm of Entitlement Getting to abuse

Asserting control Imbalance of accountability Blame shifting

They choose to


Gendered Nature of Dating AbuseGendered Nature of Dating Abuse

Girls and boys appear to hit each other mutually but… How boys and girls hit Why boys and girls hit Boys and girls experiences of being hit Sexual assault within relationships Post relationship abuse What boys say when they hit


A Shift in Focus – to PreventA Shift in Focus – to Prevent

Prevention means to shift focus to how it is that men and boys are abusive.

To advocate or provide services means we need to know more about how women, men are abused.

To date, we’ve focused more on the later.


Moving UpstreamMoving Upstream

Preventing Awareness Treating Victims

Violence Building Intervening


Foundations of Primary Foundations of Primary PreventionPrevention Violence is complex & requires a

comprehensive approach Determinants of violence & safety must

be addressed Examine both risk factors and protective

factors Requires an integrated strategy Explore promotion


The Public Health The Public Health ModelModel

Develop and Test

Prevention Strategies

Disseminate effective

strategies

Identify Risk and Protective

Factors

Define the Problem

Root CausesRoot Causes What puts youth at increased risk for

dating abuse?

But why…


Risk and Protective FactorsRisk and Protective Factors

ID risk factors For perpetration For victimization

ID protective factors From perpetration From victimization


Risk Factors do not cause domestic violence-they are factors that may be present for some individuals

No single risk or protective factor can predict a specific outcome or condition

All risk and protective factors are not equal; it is not a one-to-one relationship

Addressing a single risk factor is not enough

Risk & Protective Factors: Risk & Protective Factors: Keep in mind…Keep in mind…

What protects girls & women?What increases their risk?What prevents boys & men from

being abusive?What increases their likelihood of

being abusive?What are the modifiable factors?What groups are most at risk?

Identify Risk & Protective Identify Risk & Protective FactorsFactors

An Ecological ModelAn Ecological Model

Intrapersonal(Attitudes)

Relational(Behaviors)

Organizational (Practices)

Community (Norms)

Socio-Cultural(Customs, laws, beliefs)© 2009 Rus Ervin Funk, all rights

reserved

Gendered Nature of PreventionGendered Nature of Prevention

Gendered nature of dating abuse Gendered understanding of and

relationship to violence Gendered understanding of and

relationship to D & SV Implications for our efforts


Primary Prevention Efforts From An Primary Prevention Efforts From An Ecological FrameworkEcological Framework

Intra-personal

Relational Organi-zational

Com-munity

Socio-cultural

Teen girls

Train parents to talk w/ girls

Infused School Curricula;School policies

“girl power” groups

“Valuing women and girls” media campaign

Teen boys

Masculinity & respect

Training parents to talk w/ boys about healthy dating

Infused School Curricula;School policies

“boys of respect” groups

“Choose Respect” media campaign


Spectrum of PreventionSpectrum of Prevention Working with Individuals Promoting Community Education Training Providers Fostering Coalitions Changing Organizational Practices Influencing Policy Grassroots Organizing Ongoing evaluation

© 2009/2013 Rus Ervin Funk, all rights reserved

Prevention Efforts with BoysPrevention Efforts with Boys

What factors contribute to boys being abusive?

What efforts can we initiate to prevent boys from being abusive?

What efforts can we initiate that promote boys being in healthy and respectful relationships?


Talking with Adolescent BoysTalking with Adolescent Boys

Overcome defensiveness Address myths Increase victim-sympathy Examine male response-abilities

Don’t hurt women (or men) they’re dating Responding to friends who are abused Becoming an Ally (based on a bystander

approach) Becoming proactive Challenge Social norms


Bystander EffortsBystander Efforts

Need to be gendered too Who are the bystanders? Which adults could be allies as well? How can adults model being allies? How do youth decide who to “stand

by”? How do we move from bystanders to

allies?


Changing Organizational Changing Organizational Policies and PracticesPolicies and Practices

Identify organizational practices Assess those practices

Do the support your efforts To what degree

Identify changes to be made Implement changes Evaluate efforts


Community OrganizingCommunity Organizing

Overview of Social Capital What is the “community”?

Clarify the community Define boundaries Create access

How does community understand dating abuse? Respond prevent


Social NormsSocial Norms Define what is “normal” Identify current social norms Examine alternative social norms Promote alternatives Strengthen alternatives


Social Forces that ContributeSocial Forces that Contribute

• “Act like a man”

• “Be a lady”

• Ecological Framework


““Be a MAN”Be a MAN”

What Men are Called

What’s Done to Men

“Be a Man”

Be a LadyBe a Lady

“Act like a Lady!”

What Women are Called

What’s Done to Women

PromotionPromotion What are we promoting

Gender respect Nonviolent relationships Leadership development Communities that support the above

© 2013Rus Ervin Funk, all rights reserved

Gender RespectGender Respect

What constitutes gender respect? How do youth know when they are

being treated with respect? How do youth know when they are

treating others with respect? How gender informs notions and

practices of respect.






Community (Norms)


reserved

Healthy RelationshipsHealthy Relationships

Elements of a healthy relationship Defining these elements concretely Putting this into practice Creating social norms to support






Community (Norms)


reserved

Educating – for Leadership

(Focus on the social problem rather than the personal tragedy) Use of emergent Curriculum Design Engage youth as problem solvers Put into practice what they’re learning

as they’re learning Take action

Emergent Curriculum DesignEmergent Curriculum Design

Based on Frierian Educational PraxisGrounded in prevention theoryCreate a team of youth, staff and parents who work together to create the educational program that will be provided to youth.


E.C. ProcessE.C. Process Identify partner Create team Define focus Brainstorm content Develop curriculum from the content Edit curriculum Train facilitators Implement curriculum Evaluate


Partnership DevelopmentPartnership Development

Brainstorm partners Create relationships Discuss positive outcomes Develop preventionist analysis Explore funding


ActivitiesActivities Dating Abuse awareness week activities Teen equality wheel – put into action and

practice Promoting youth abilities to challenge the

restrictions of gender and the lessons of Promoting youth leadership Addressing Dating Abuse Press Conferences Legislative Advocacy



Thank-You!!!Thank-You!!!

Rus Ervin [email protected]

omwww.rusfunk.c

om(502)494-9044

Documents

Preventing Teen Dating Abuse: Engaging Boys, Girls and Adults Rus Ervin Funk, MSW