Covid-19 Updates

Up To Us Men’s Initiative

Up To Us Men’s Initiative

UP TO US

A Men’s Initiative

Inspiring men to become actively involved in reducing domestic, intimate partner, and sexual violence, and changing attitudes and behaviors that maintain violence.

Who We Are

Up to Us involves men and women, working together in an allied community effort, with the hope of raising awareness, increasing public education, and demonstrating the leadership of men in the movement against violence.  We believe that real change will only happen when men realize that it is UP TO US to be active participants with women in reducing violence.

Members of the initiative include men and women who represent or support the work of several community agencies including A Safe Place, United Way of Lake County, Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center, Gurnee Counseling Center, Community Youth Network, Warren Township Youth and Family Services, and Jewish Child and Family Services.  We are actively pursuing a diverse membership, which is open to anyone interested in accomplishing our mission.

Inspiring Men to Become Actively Involved

Up to Us will be planning events and programs designed to encourage men to become actively involved in reducing violence.

  •          Men need to join the front lines– Women presenting programs on domestic and sexual violence to substantially-male (and other) audiences find that co-presenting with men would make for more effective presentations.  We seek to connect men with appropriate training and organizations that need their voices and services.

Men need to model behaviors for youth– Breaking the generational cycle of violence is going to take men willing to step up and model appropriate behaviors. We seek to offer programs for youth and adults to attend together to learn about violence.  These programs may include presentations in schools, juvenile detention centers, religious organizations, sports leagues, and other community organizations.

Men need to be advocates– Men need to become active advocates for UP TO US and the organizations that we support, promote and partner with.  We seek to affect and confront our personal spheres of influence as well as financial, cultural, social, political, legal, media, and other barriers to advancing violence prevention efforts.  We also hope to develop programs in which male youth become the role models, educators, and mentors for their peers.

Changing Attitudes and Behaviors that Maintain Violence

Up to Us will be undertaking efforts to educate our community about domestic and sexual violence and to change the attitudes and behaviors prevalent in the routine daily lives of men and women.

Silence is not an acceptable behavior– We believe that just turning the other way is and has never been acceptable.  We will undergo efforts to change this societal norm through varied general and targeted programs and publicity campaigns.

Men must change their own attitudes and behaviors– We will actively promote programs that offer a safe space for men to explore issues of gender-based violence; to look at their own attitudes, beliefs and behaviors; and to gain the tools and knowledge necessary to confront the attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of those in their personal sphere of influence.

Reducing Domestic, Intimate Partner, and Sexual Violence

The ultimate goal of Up to Us is reducing and ultimately eliminating violence of all forms in our community and beyond.  We will continue to look at ways in which men can be co-leaders with women in ending violence once and for all.

For more information or to join our E-mail distribution list

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