October is Domestic Violence awareness month, so there's no better time to address an important issue in our society and our campus that we prefer to ignore.

Men face domestic violence and sexual abuse.

It's one of the most heavily stigmatized facts of the modern day, deeply tied with antiquated notions of masculinity and gender roles. Regardless, domestic violence and abuse against men is a reality for millions. 

1 in 10 men in the United States have reported rape, physical violence, and/or stalking from a partner (NDVH). Studies also show that 1 in 6 men experience sexual assault or abuse as a child or adult (1in6.org). 

This is also an LGBTQ+ issue. 37% of bisexual men experience rape, physical violence, and/or stalking from an intimate partner (CDC). 

I could continue to throw statistics at you, but one thing is clear: we need to provide support for everyone facing domestic violence and sexual abuse. CAPS at UNC has established "Courage to Heal: A Sexual Assault Recovery Group" for women recovering from sexual assault. Groups like these are great first steps for supporting members of our community searching for unity and support within one another.

But this solution needs to be available to ALL members of our UNC community. I propose the creation of a group to support male-identifying and non-binary victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Our goal is to establish and populate a group with CAPS at UNC to create a support group on campus and recruit members for this project.

Please sign the petition if you want to help, and if you would be interested in participating in the group or have any questions, please email me at rajeevrd@live.unc.edu. Beyond signatures, we need men willing to take a risk in opening up about their experiences. If CAPS launches a group focused on men with these experiences, the courage to participate will help us illustrate that this is an important issue.

Thank you so much for your time.