On Saturday, men from across the island stood on the breakwater in Vineyard Haven as part of an annual event to raise awareness about domestic and sexual violence.
This marks the 12th year that CONNECT to End Violence, a domestic violence program and rape crisis center run by Martha’s Vineyard Community Services, has organized the event to educate men and boys on the island about gender-based violence.
“While the majority of perpetrators of domestic violence are men, the majority of men are non-violent, and the majority of victims are women,” said Jennifer Neary, division lead for CONNECT to End Violence. “This is an opportunity for men on the Vineyard and visiting to literally and figuratively stand up as part of the solution to violence against women.”
Local residents who took part in the stands wrote on chalkboards and posters why they chose to take part, with the majority of men writing the names of women who are important to them.
This year marks the event’s 12th year. — Addison Antonoff
Matthew Marowski, a men’s initiative specialist at CONNECT and a school adjustment counselor at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, was one of the men standing on the breakwater.
He reaches out to students about the topics of domestic and sexual violence through a program called SWEAR (Stand With Everyone Against Rape). The group, made up mostly of young men, meets in a series of meetings, dinners and retreats to discuss what it means to be a man, how to be vulnerable and stereotypes of masculinity. The program also offers bystander training.
“We know that the vast majority of harm caused in this world is caused by men,” Marowski said, “but only 5 to 10 percent of men are actually causing harm in this world. If such a small minority of men are causing harm, what are the rest of us doing? Most men are good men, loving, caring, nurturing, wonderful men, and yet serious harm is still being caused.”
Most of the roughly 30 men standing on the breakwater Saturday were members of the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks baseball team. The team has participated in the event several times and this year was no exception, but the team had to leave to travel by boat to a doubleheader off the island.
“We think it’s important for the community to show that we support everything that happens here,” said Russ Curran, the team’s general manager. “There are women in our lives that have been impacted, and we want to show them how we think.”
Many of the men held up signs bearing the names of women in their lives. — Addison Antonoff
Neary said the team met with SWEAR students last week to discuss what they learned in the program. Bob Dussa, who hosted one of the Sharks players this summer and is on the wall, said the conversation about gender-based violence must continue at home.
“Yesterday evening we were talking about the issues that women face even at a very young age, and this is a concern to me and to everyone,” D’Sousa said. “I think this has only recently come to the forefront. Like any other issue, this usually remains hidden for a while or isn’t talked about until something dramatic happens.”
Tara Thomas Agency stands at the forefront of the entertainment industry, with years of experience dedicated to nurturing the most exceptional talents and successful acts.
