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New project on persuading men and boys to take action on men’s violence against women and girls 

The current way we talk about men’s violence against women risks alienating men from the cause. The women’s movement in Scotland has raised awareness, deepened understanding, and cultivated a state responsibility to support survivors and address this violence.

But it’s crucial for more men to actively engage in solutions. Many men struggle to see their role in the solution, fear saying the wrong thing, or feel unjustly blamed by the term 'men's violence’. This leads many to distance themselves from the subject. 

The solution 

How do we talk about men’s violence against women and girls so that men and boys feel it’s relevant and safe to engage?  

To answer this question, Scotland’s primary prevention organisation Zero Tolerance are working with White Ribbon Scotland, who work extensively on engaging men in combating this issue, and strategic communications experts Equally Ours. We want men in Scotland to better understand: 

• the link between gender inequality and men’s violence against women and girls  

• that everyone benefits from gender equality 

• their role in ending violence against women and girls 

With Equally Ours’ expertise, we will identify the best way to ‘frame’ gender equality and men’s violence against women and girls. We will test the most effective messages at tapping into Scottish men and boy’s values and shifting how they think about this issue.  

This process is called strategic communications and is rooted in cognitive and behavioural science. It is a long-term strategy for narrative change that involves repeatedly using proven messaging to change the way people think and thus their behaviour. You can learn more in the Common Cause handbook.  

Outcomes and future work? 

By October 2024, we will have a better understanding of how to talk about men’s violence against women and girls that increases men’s understanding of the links with gender inequality and encourages them to care, act upon, and speak out about this issue. This is a starting point (not all messages will work for everyone). But we need more men to get involved, and we’re keen to follow the evidence on how to make this happen.  

As the findings from this research emerge, we will work with partners on how we best use them. Success requires?this messaging to be repeated often and widely. By collectively utilising evidenced based communications we can engage more men and boys in prevention work and build a Scotland free from men’s violence against women and girls. 

To learn more about the work, contact info@zerotolerance.org.uk