Slum kids confront sexism as India grapples with abuse of women

A program called RAPP (Relationship Abuse Prevention Program) uses safe spaces for teens to talk about their romantic relationships with both peer and adult leaders as a way to prevent abusive relationships through education. It is supported by New York City's Human Resources Administration, the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, Day One, and Steps to End Violence and Urban Resource Institute (URI). The program is now in 94 schools across the city, and participants / peer leaders testify to how much it changed their lives.

Coaches and players around the world are using sports to teach boys about masculinity and the importance of integrity, both on and off the field. From cricket in India to rugby in Fiji, games are used as a foundation for teaching important life lessons and values. As a result, young men participating in these programs have been found less likely to show aggression and more likely to believe abuse against women is wrong.

Lake Park Society’s Camp Kin is a daytime summer camp for LGBTQIA+ youth ages seven to 12 and allies to participate in summer activities while fostering connections with youth and counselors they can relate to. The Camp is available at a sliding-scale rate — from free to full cost at $300 — and provides a safe space for youth to come out of their shells and feel supported.

Rivers of Hope provides counseling and support services to youth who have experienced or witnessed violence at home. A primary goal of Rivers of Hope is to teach youth what healthy relationships look like and empower them to build and seek out healthy connections. The program started in 1991 and provides support and education to about 150 to 200 students each year, free of charge.

The Be a Man initiative facilitates clubs where youth learn to reexamine gender norms, talk about how to prevent violence, address harmful stereotypes, and promote healthy relationships. More than 2,000 young people have participated in Be a Man activities since the program began, and surveys show participants demonstrated greater self-esteem, improved communication and critical thinking, and stronger empathy.

Mr. Dad’s Father’s Club mentors local youth to nurture their social and emotional well-being, making them better equipped to handle the world around them. The Club also provides mentorships for fathers, helping them learn how to be more present in their children’s lives as research indicates the presence of positive role models can make youth more resilient when exposed to violent or negative environments. There are currently over 150 fathers who volunteer for events with the Club.

Jewish Family Services (JFS) has been delivering the Child Abuse Prevention Program to local schools for 30 years. JFS presents the program at 150 area schools, curating age-appropriate presentations for each grade level. The program covers examples of safe and appropriate touching, as well as what to do if the child finds themselves in an unsafe situation and how to tell an adult.

Bogotá’s city government started the Calm Line to give men a way to connect by telephone with psychologists trained in therapeutic responses to the machismo that leads to gender-based violence. Despite doubts that Colombian men would use the service, the line fields about a dozen calls a day. "Fear, shame and confusion pervade many of the conversations," but also can lead to breakthroughs in understanding the attitudes that oppress women. That understanding is the first step toward cultural change, the Calm Line's supporters believe.

Symbios, a group home in Brno, Czech Republic, aims to equip young adults who grew up in children's homes with life skills by pairing them with college-aged adults, who come from traditional home environments. Within the affordable flat, participants are paired by gender, given their own private room, and those who came from children's homes to learn basic skills like cooking, finding furniture for their unfurnished quarters, and being responsible for their own bills. The experience also allows residents to learn more about people who grew up differently, sharing similarities and differences along the way.

The number of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada is high, so a group of Indigenous women formed an organization called Power Our Women (POW) to teach other Indigenous women across the country self-defense skills. Participants talk about their cultures, learn physical self-defense, build confidence, and learn situational awareness. Participants describe the program as healing but difficult. POW has now reached more than 5,000 women across Canada, including remote areas in northern Manitoba.