Student Group Focuses on Men in Stopping Violence Against Women | SUNY Plattsburgh
Though statistics show one out of five women will fall victim to sexual violence, a student organization hopes to decrease those numbers, starting with SUNY Plattsburgh.
No More! is aimed at decreasing that statistic by putting the gender that most often causes violence at the forefront of the fight.
“The mission of No More! is to create a campus community free of violence by increasing
male participation in ending sexual and relationship violence,” said Dr. Brian Klocke,
No More! faculty adviser and assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice.
The group was originally called Real Men and operated under the same premise as No
More! Initially, it gave men a place to speak out, but eventually the organization
transformed into a forum for both men and women who wanted to speak out against sexual
and domestic violence.
Helping on Campus
President Bobby Sheehan said the idea behind the club is that student-to-student education is the best way to get the message across. As a result, No More! offers various activities and lectures that allow students to come together with club members to discuss the issues.
“A lot of times we try to figure out how we can reach people without acting like a blunt instrument,” Klocke said. “How can we meet people where they are and get them to think and challenge them to look at these issues in a deeper way?”
Reaching Out to the Community
No More! also partners with Plattsburgh-based groups in an effort to reach out to the community. A regular partner is STOP Domestic Violence, which the club partnered with for a one-man production that filled Krinovitz Recital Hall in December 2010.
For Sheehan, those partnerships are crucial since they are mutually beneficial and help students feel a sense of community.
More Efforts on Campus
NoMore! is not alone in its efforts. For instance, the President’s Task Force on Campus Sexual Assault recently submitted its recommendations for changes that it hopes will prevent assaults and help survivors as they report the crimes.