An often disregarded global phenomenon (see article 1 below), domestic violence is one of the most pressing issues facing our world today. Present in all countries and cultures, it cuts across all borders. Although one in two women will experience some form of domestic abuse in her life, the issue persists. The time to take action is now.
Mr. Garrison and Jesuit students, including members of the Not For Sale Club, took action this past March 23, joining Mayor Mike Rawlings’ rally against domestic violence.
These worldwide circumstances, which are persistent and seemingly intractable, are meeting heavy resistance from activists from all around the world: men and women, black and white, young and old. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, upon noticing a startling increase in domestic violence recently, took action, not ready to sit back as countless innocent women suffered at the hands of the very companions whom they trusted and loved.
Poised to end such heinous acts or at least raise awareness of the issue, Mayor Rawlings wanted a way to call on all men to stand up and vow to end this vicious cycle. To do so, he hosted a rally for domestic violence in late March at Dallas City Hall, dedicated to inspiring men to treat women with the love and respect that they deserve, asking them only to “bring [the] compassion for the women in Dallas who are the victims of abuse.”
As under reported as it is, the average person would more than likely not realize the severity of domestic violence, either uninformed or hesitant to believe the shocking reality of it. Ms. Katherine Guinn, a social studies teacher and head of the Not for Sale Club at Jesuit, put domestic abuse into perspective, saying that “if any other group of people were being targeted like this, there would be a huge deal made out of it.” For example, she said that if one in two taxi drivers were being attacked, people would be asking questions and taking action to change this situation. Sadly, this has not quite been the case with the abuse of women.
Mayor Rawlings concluded that this unhindered abuse was a sort of epidemic in Dallas as he took admirable initiative to shine a light on the issue by hosting the rally. Will Wood ’13 commended the mayor, saying, “it is great to see our elected officials taking action on the issue of spousal abuse.”
In attendance were a multitude of people and organizations, from churches to schools, from athletes to teachers. Among these were
sixty or so Jesuit students and various faculty members, including Mr. Tom Garrison. This diversity, even just within the city of Dallas, showed how many groups could come together with a common voice and message that carried much more weight than the organizations alone. All of the attending groups shared four central pillars on the issue, things that men could do to help alleviate the problem:
- A man never hits a woman.
- A man speaks out against domestic abuse.
- A man teaches his daughter how men should treat her and that she should never allow herself to be abused. Not once.
- A man teaches his sons to respect women.
Although some things are perceived to be common sense by some, not all men practice them. Whether it be objectifying women with jokes or not speaking out against domestic abuse, many men fail to follow these guidelines. Wood commented that “it is just as much of a crime to not report abuse as it is to commit it,” meaning that if a friend of yours is abusing or being abused, you cannot simply remove yourself from the situation and let it run its course.
This is where the rally spoke of how important it was to apply the topics in your daily life. Ms. Guinn pointed out that “even [when] the rally is over, the problem isn’t gone,” emphasizing that when the communal atmosphere of a rally does not follow you around, it is still of utmost importance to stay aware of domestic violence and “live the message.” As much information as the rally may have given, it is all meaningless if not used to combat the issue of domestic abuse that Dallas and the rest of the world struggles with (see article 2 below).
Jake Maras ’15 simply said that “if it’s happening, speak up about it, no exceptions.” This rule is a critical first step to reducing this horrific crime. Only then can the issue be addressed as a whole.
Respecting women and treating them with respect aligns with the Jesuit motto of “Men for Others.” If you think of all of the important women in your life, whether it be your sister, mother, aunt, grandmother, teacher, friend, neighbor, or anyone else, it is easy to see that nothing about mistreating women makes you more of a man or a better person. Think about the women in your own life and how you treat them. Remember that the power rests in your hands to continue or put an end to this vicious cycle (see article 3 below).
Links for further reading:
Article 1: Gives perspective to how big of a problem this is on other countries
Article 2:
Even though we had a successful rally, the problem isn’t going away overnight
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2013/03/dallas_marking_good_friday_by.php
Article 3:
Making men better men beyond the rally
