Fredericton group targets men to stop sexual violence

A Fredericton group trying to end sexual violence toward women is aiming its message at men.

White Ribbon Fredericton is holding a panel called "It's Everywhere," with the goal of getting more men involved in ending the violence.

Barry MacKnight, a part of White Ribbon Fredericton, and a former Fredericton police chief, said men need to be targeted because men are the problem.

"When you shuck right down to the corn, there's no getting around it," saidMacKnight. "Ninety-nine per cent of sexual violence offenders are men.

"There are [victims] who are men, but they're always victims of men."

MacKnight said most men don't commit sexual violence, but they can still contribute to an environment where sexual violence takes place through silence.

Pandemic of accusations

Over the past few months, many high-profile men have been accused of sexual misconduct going back decades.

The wave began with Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and went on to include names as big as Ben Affleck, Louis CK and U.S. Sen.Al Franken.

In the wake of the Weinstein allegations, women started using the hashtag "metoo" to show solidarity with victims of sexual misconduct and to convey the extent of the problem.

MacKnight said it's important to capitalize on this moment.

"We don't want to squander this momentum," he said."We want to keep the discussion alive."

History in a masculine profession

When MacKnight started his policing career with the RCMPmore than 30 years ago, the force had just started bringing in more women officers, and sexism was already in play, he said.

"They looked at all the work from a male perspective:'How are women going to do what we do because we go to work and we fight people every shift."

When he became chief of the Fredericton Police Force years later, MacKnightwould still get questions about hiring more women.

"I would still get questions from male police officers about why we didn't have specific money for men in policing," said MacKnight.

"I'd laugh at them and say the whole profession is dominated by men."

Gender roles play part

MacKnight said power dynamics and privilege often are to blame for sexual violence, but gender stereotypes also play a part.

"I'm supposed to fit in a certain kind of box, I'm supposed to engage in certain behaviours,"MacKnightsaid, describing how he believes some men think.

"Men's violence is part of the gender stereotype for men. Those messages are reinforced consistently and constantly."

MacKnight hopes men will attend the panel and not come defensively.

"Just come to this with an open heart and an open mind," he said.

"Understand that you yourself are not solely responsible for the state of sexism and misogyny in our society, but you are responsible for your own behaviour."

The panel will be held Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Head Hall, room C13, on the UNB Fredericton campus.