Syracuse University tackles
gender violence on campus

                 our
  Most Valuable
             Players
                 are

In February 2007, Vera House joined the Center for Court Innovation (CCI) and Syracuse University in the Syracuse Partnership for Violence Prevention - a unique program aimed at reducing gender violence with a new training model led by student facilitators. CCI obtained a generous grant from the U.S. Dept. of Education to fund the program. This bold initiative offered training to fraternity and sorority members from SU and SUNY ESF in the Mentors in Violence Prevention, or MVP Program. Developed in 1993 at Northeastern University, the MVP program operates on the premise that students are not simply potential perpetrators or victims - but can become empowered bystanders who confront their abusive peers. Student trainers who complete the MVP program then facilitate trainings with other fraternity and sorority members, using the MVP Playbook to guide discussion on issues such as sexual harassment, acquaintance rape, relationship violence, and alcohol and consent.

LEARN MORE: two S.U. students reflect on their MVP experience

 
“We are excited to be on
the cutting edge of this new
approach to violence prevention”
says Janet Epstein, Associate
Director of SU’s R.A.P.E. Center.

“This is not just a
women’s issue,
it’s everyone’s
issue.”
 

Organizers say recent research
shows college women are at
greater risk for rape and other
forms of sexual assault than either
non-student women in their age
group or women in general.

Clearly, campuses need to
implement prevention programs
that engage both men and women
in examining attitudes that lead to
sexual violence and provide tools for working together to confront them.

Former NFL star and
SU All-American quarterback
Don McPherson,
returned to Syracuse
to introduce the
Syracuse Partnership
for Violence Prevention program,
and speak to MVP participants.

McPherson is executive director
of the Sports Leadership Institute
at Adelphi University and a noted violence-prevention advocate.

 
VH Executive Director,
Randi Bregman envisions MVP
as “an example of how to do
violence-prevention
in the university setting
that will create
a new group of student
violence-prevention
advocates who
will be committed
to the cause
in college and beyond.”
 

In this initial stage, the project
was implemented within
fraternities and sororities
at Syracuse University.

Organizers hope that nearly
900 student members of the Greek
system will have been trained
by mid-2008, with a long-term goal
to make the MVP program available
to all SU and ESF students.

Plans are currently underway
for future on-campus trainings,
as well as outreach to
local area high schools.

Don McPherson addresses
a group of MVP
student participants.
 

During its first year, the Syracuse Partnership for Violence Prevention . . .

trained as peer facilitators:
     28 fraternity members from 9 fraternities
     26 sorority members from 8 sororities

facilitated workshops for the MVP project:
     17 peer facilitators representing 7 different fraternities
     17 peer facilitators representing 7 different sororities

140 students attended workshops:
     77 fraternity members from 16 fraternities
     63 sorority members from 13 sororities

 
Two Syracuse University students share their impressions of the MVP program experience . . .

Katherine Friedman of Phi Sigma Sigma, participated in the MVP program as a student peer facilitator. After a 12-hour training "during which we discussed important issues including gender roles, alcohol issues and homophobia….each individual trainer became certified to train other students in fraternities and sororities."

Katherine is a women's studies minor, who had previously found it difficult to reconcile "my social sorority life with that of feminine discourses I learn in the academic world. Through the MVP Program, I witnessed a distinct change in the attitudes and viewpoints of many of the male and female trainers regarding issues of domestic violence, homophobia and other issues that concern women."

She praised MVP as an opportunity to challenge and reform both the attitudes that lead to gender-violence, and "the common stereotypes that are associated with…sororities and fraternities. I am proud to say that I am a member of such a dynamic organization, and I can now relate the passion I have for my academic work to the passion I have for my sisterhood." 

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It was love for his little sister that led SU junior Christopher Stevens to MVP. "My sister and I are really close, and she often…tells me that violence against women comes not only in the form of physical abuse, but I was never able to fully understand her. When I was presented with the opportunity to take part in this program…I thought of her and signed up."

Chris found the group discussions "extremely eye opening….Once both the men and women became more comfortable and began to open up…honest opinions were shared, resulting in the toppling of gender barriers…and we each left more aware and more enlightened." He put his new level of awareness into action as a student peer facilitator. "We have been presented with a rare and incredibly valuable opportunity to lead the fight to stop an inexcusable, entirely preventable behavior."

Chris' perspectives have now radically changed. He sees "some of the ways that men commonly tend to treat women – things I had never thought twice about before – in a totally new light….I finally fully understand what my little sister was talking about" with "controlling boyfriends, gawking guys and men who verbally harass women." And, he believes this understanding will allow him "to be a better man."
 

learn more about
Syracuse Partnership for Violence Prevention participating organizations by visiting their websites: