Are You Man Enough to Stand on the Wall?

Last winter, Island resident Max Sherman started a men-against domestic violence group called Vineyard-Men for Abuse Prevention (V-MAP). Next week, Sherman, V-MAP and CONNECT to end violence (CONNECT), a program of Martha’s Vineyard Community Services, are asking Island men to take stand against violence against women by standing on the sea wall in Vineyard Haven holding a sign stating who they are standing for.

“We are attempting to show the abusers that they are the minorities on this Island,” said Sherman. “Hopefully by giving men a sign of the person they are standing for will help give them a reason.”

Christina Costello, an outreach coordinator for CONNECT who facilitates V-MAP, explained that they came up with the idea for the event in order to raise awareness and bring more Island men to the group. “We would really like to get men on the Island involved so that we can build a network of like-minded, non-violent men who will be willing to participate in V-MAP to continue to bring awareness to our community on how violence effects all of us, whether directly or indirectly.”

“For years, domestic and sexual violence has been identified as a women’s issue,” said Costello and according to her figures, one in three women will be beaten, raped or abused during her lifetime. “We are really trying to shift the focus and get people to understand that it is not just a women’s issue it’s a human issue. Men have women in their lives whom they care for and love deeply such as their mothers, their wives, their daughters, their nieces, etc.,” said Costello, “V-MAP is a way for men to get involved in building a safer community for those that they love.”

On July 28^th, from 11 am – 3 pm, any man who wants to can come and stand for the women that they love and who they want to protect against violence. Men can choose to stand for as little or as long as they want.

For Sherman, the choice of the sea wall for the event is symbolic. “The sea wall protects us from the elements, and strong men should protect those that can't protect themselves from abusers,” he said.

The Vineyard-Men for Abuse Prevention Sea Wall Stand takes place on Saturday July 28^th from 11 am – 3 pm at the Vineyard Haven sea wall before the drawbridge. Posters to write on and hold will be available.