Does anyone recall the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty during the 1990’s with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen when the Bulls had a strong all-around defense and six NBA championship titles to show for it? One of the reasons the imprint of the Bulls’ legacy is embossed in my mind is that it reminds me of a big part of my childhood and how I grew up watching every single game with dedication and passion. Michael Jordan became one of my top role models and a hero who represented motivation and perseverance — an example of how I wanted to live my life. I am currently president of the Men Against Violence group at Cal Poly Pomona. As a student club working within the Stop Violence Office, our group is concerned with peer education and assistance in dealing with issues of stalking, sexual assault, and dating and domestic violence. One of the areas where our group differs from the T.E.A.A.R. (The Education Against Abusive Relationships) theatre group on campus is that we focus on the men’s side of the partner violence problem. The Men Against Violence group at Cal Poly Pomona concentrates on the research that explains why males commit 98 percent of all reported sexual assaults in this country (according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics) and the fact that most rapes are perpetrated by someone the victim knows. With these problems in our society continuing to occur all around us, sometimes I find myself getting overwhelmed from all of it and, at times, am hard-pressed to strive for change. So how did I get into this field, and why do I continue to invest my time? I actually get that question more times than I can count and whether the specific answer I give makes perfect sense, it is by looking at a few levels of my background that the response becomes clear.
Growing up with two sisters in a Southern California suburb, I felt that often the strongest bonds of growth were directed back to the family. Also, even though it may be a touchy subject, I feel that for a complete understanding of my motivations as a student for change and hope, I would have to acknowledge that religion played a role in my life. Because of my upbringing, I began to seek definitions of morality and ethics and the different tribulations we face as human beings living in a diverse society. It was then that I started to take heed of some fundamental social problems that we are inundated with in this country, such as violence against women.
As I began my transition into high school and college,I noticed the media’s portrayal of male behavior start to change, first gradually, then suddenly. Positive role models of honest motivation and determination were diminishing in the limelight of television and movies, while characters such as Steve Stifler from “American Pie” and Billy Loomis, from the movie “Scream,” were the onesbeing chatted about. These characters moved from subtle to obvious and depicted images of violence and forced sexual aggression, all the while perpetuating negative stereotypes of hyper-masculinity. Although we have entered the new millennium and are marking the growth of the children categorized as the “Internet generation,” we have yet to find proficient ways of solving the problems of crime, teenage pregnancy, drug addiction and rape.
I strive for change because to be the type of positive role model that I grew up admiring is a necessity and is what motivates me to stay involved with the Men Against Violence group. We certainly have the intelligence to work practically for the change we want to see happen. Change may require strengthening the emphasis on education about violence, and some may learn from the process of going through the experiences personally, but awareness of the problem is the first step to creating change. Consciousness is the difference between activism and apathy.
Devyn Huynh is a third-year sociology major who has been working with Men Against Violence for the past year. He is planning on a career in law.
Originially Published in PolyTrends Spring/Summer 2008
