NYSCADV's "Because We're Dads"
The NYS Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV) recognizes the impact fathers and father figures have on promoting women's rights, gender equality, and healthy relationships. Fathers play a significant role in the lives of their children and have the opportunity to influence attitudes and behaviors that support healthy and equitable relationships premised on respect, consent and nonviolence. To highlight the impact that fathers and father figures have on our lives NYSCADV, in collaboration with consultant Rus Funk, who has been working for more than 20 years on efforts to engage and mobilize men and boys is pleased to present Because We’re Dads: Reaching and Mobilizing Fathers to Promote Gender Equality.
Materials
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These “Conversation Starters” are available in various formats for prevention educators to use as an outreach and educational tool in your communities. These may be posted on your website, on social media, in a PowerPoint presentation and/or as physical handouts.
The conversation starters are intended to be used as prompts for parents and others involved in the lives of children and youth to help with initiating open conversations about various aspects of dating. They are a way to explore concepts and norms regarding what makes a healthy versus an unhealthy relationship. While discussing what dating abuse and coercion look like, and the tactics often used, cyberstalking is an example that most young people can relate to.
Keep in mind that conversations should focus on promoting the positive behaviors we want to see young people adopt around respectful flirting, consent, fostering equitable and respectful relationships.
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The Because We’re Dads Back to School Toolkit is designed to help dads develop the confidence, capacity and comfort they need to engage in challenging yet critical conversations with their children. It focuses on how dads can support their children to manage transitions with an eye toward encouraging and promoting gender equality.
This toolkit also addresses current events, including the COVID 19 pandemic and the ongoing nation-wide uprising around systemic racism, police brutality, racial inequity and injustice. Resources reflect the impact these dynamics have on youth in (and out of) school, and the roles that fathers can play to discuss these issues with their children. This resource is an evolving document. NYSCADV will be providing additional tools, resources and opportunities as we learn more from our collective work and efforts to engage and mobilize dads.
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Based on the success and interest in June 2021’s Father’s Day Pledge, NYSCADV is making the pledge available to Fathers and father figures all year long. The Father’s Pledge is part of NYSCADV’s Because We’re Dads Initiative and is just one way Fathers can promote relationship behaviors that support gender equality.
Back to School: A Conversation about Engaging Parents- Recorded on September 30, 2021
Resources
For additional initiatives, campaigns and resources for engaging men and boys in primary prevention strategies, check out our Engaging Men and Boys prevention toolkit page.
