Futures’ Work to Engage Men Highlighted During Capitol Hill Briefing

Congressional staffers packed a House of Representatives hearing room to learn more about important and effective programs to engage men and boys in the work of ending violence against women. Futures Without Violence’s Coaching Boys Into Men program was highlighted and Futures’ newest team member, Casey Corcoran, led the panel. William Kellibrew shared the personal and heart-breaking story of witnessing his mother and brother’s murder and being forced to beg for his own life as a 10-year-old boy. He has committed himself to working to end domestic violence through the foundation that bears his name.

Drew Wing from Maine’s Boys to Men program spoke on their successful work as a grantee of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Engaging Men Program, and Dawn Dalton from Chicago Battered Women’s Network spoke about innovative programs happening in Chicago that work with adolescent boys to develop new social norms around masculinity that promote respect and non-violence. Neil Irwin, Executive Director of Men Can Stop Rape, a long-time collaborator with Futures Without Violence, rounded out the panel discussing their newest program working with college-aged men.

The Engaging Men Program is one of the critical programs that Futures helped create in the Violence Against Women Act, federal legislation that is up for a vote in the House of Representatives this week.