What Have We Learned from the Kobe Bryant Case? Men Can Stop Rape Calls for a National Discussion

September 2, 2004 (Press Release) -- Washington, DC – The final act of the Kobe Bryant case could be considered a shocker. That Bryant's accuser would refuse to testify shortly before the trial was set to begin might have caught many people by surprise. Since June 30, 2003 people across the nation have been intensely debating Kobe's guilt – did he or didn't he do it? Now, that discussion seems likely to fade away. And so what are we left with? What have we learned? Men Can Stop Rape (MCSR), a Washington, DC-based non-profit organization, believes we have the opportunity to learn something vitally important: how men can play a role in stopping sexual violence.

It turns out we're not talking just about male perpetrators of rape or even potential perpetrators. We're talking about the participation of all men, young and old. Patrick Lemmon, MCSR's executive director, said, "Men stopping rape is about all men helping to create an environment where the idea of sexual violence is intolerable, an environment where respect and empathy become part of what it means to be a man. " Lemmon claimed that most men desire a world where their mothers, daughters, wives, girlfriends, grandmothers, granddaughters, aunts, and female friends are safe.

Men Can Stop Rape is working hard to make this world a reality. Their posters, part of what they call The Strength Media Campaign, have been called "stunning" by O The Oprah Magazine. This is the first campaign addressing sexual violence in which men speak to men. The theme line, "My strength is not for hurting," along with a picture of a couple appear in four of the posters, along with text like, "So when I wasn't sure how she felt, I asked." Present and former players from DC United of Major League Soccer, Jeff Agoos, Ben Olsen, Eddie Pope, and Clint Peay, add to the power of the fifth poster. Campaign posters appear in all 50 states and 6 countries, and plans are being developed for a national launch with new Strength Media Campaign posters intended to reach a broader diversity of young men.

MCSR doesn't just stick to media campaigns, though. They get down in the trenches as well. Their Men of Strength Club (MOST Club), recently profiled in the National Crime Prevention Council's 50 Ways to Prevent Violent Domestic Crime, provides young men in high schools or youth-serving agencies with a safe, supportive space to examine the ways traditional masculinity contributes to sexual assault and other forms of men's violence. The Club's focus on manhood is unique. Each 16-session club explores how the role of traditional masculinity leads young men to make choices based on their understanding of what it means to be a "real" man – choices that often put themselves and women at risk. There are plans underway to initiate MOST Clubs across the country. MCSR is evaluating the effectiveness of the Clubs with the help of a two-year technical assistance grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

So if you're a man, young or old, interested in the role that men can play in preventing sexual violence, Men Can Stop Rape wants to talk with you. To contact MCSR, send an e-mail to info@mencanstoprape.org or call 202-265-6530.