Reconstructing Masculinity in the Locker Room: The Mentors in Violence Prevention Project

Few violence prevention programs of any kind foreground discussions of masculinity. In his work with college athletes, Jackson Katz positions the sociocultural construction of manhood as central to the problem of men's violence against women, as well as the basis of potential sources of prevention. Through the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) Project at Northeastern University in Boston, Katz and his colleagues seek to reduce men's violence against women by inspiring athletes and other models of traditional masculine success to challenge and reconstruct predominant male norms that equate strength in men with dominance over women. The Project specifically encourages participants to use their stature among their peers on campus to promote healthier attitudes and behaviors towards women.