Group Launches Site Against Rape

Saying men on campus can to do more to advocate against rape, gender violence, and sexual harassment, Harvard Men Against Rape yesterday launched a Web site—MenSpeakUp.org—in the hopes of creating a male community to fight gender inequality.

The Web site—unveiled at a showcase yesterday—includes blogs, video, and resources for those affected by sexual harassment.

“We wanted to give something that is for gender equality and for change and for something positive,” said Hugo Van Vuuren ’07, who helped launch the site. “This is an issue that affects everyone, and unfortunately Harvard is no exception.”

The site’s sponsors said they hoped focusing their message on men would be effective at preventing sexual harassment by changing what they say is widespread male apathy toward the issue.

“Usually guys will say that other guys are apathetic to the issue of rape, this is a woman’s issue,” Van Vuuren said. “The other issue is people don’t believe the facts. They say, ‘Really? One in five girls has been sexually assaulted? But I have ten girl friends and none of them have been raped.’”

Sarah Rankin, director of the Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, echoed those sentiments at the showcase.

“Men will hear things differently from other men than women,” she said. “When men are welcomed into the conversation, we can see what kind of impact this outreach will have on the issue of gender equality.”

The Web site also comes as part of a recent resurgence for Harvard Men Against Rape, which was founded in 2003 but only recently became more visible on campus.

Speakers at the event said they would push for this trend to continue by encouraging the Harvard community to use the Web site, and contribute to its blogs.

“I think a big hope for MenSpeakUp.org is that it provides a resource for men to care,” said Gordon W. Braxton, a freshman proctor and a prevention specialist at OSAPR who worked on the site. “I think a lot of people care behind closed doors but they don’t have social validation to care publicly. I hope the site can remedy some of that.”

The site’s founders also said they hoped to harness Harvard’s visibility to promote their message nationwide.

“Because if I am the 14-year-old guy in Nebraska, I will see that these cool guys at Harvard care about this,” said Van Vuuren. “So if I care about this, it won’t make me any less cool.”