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Ja n u a ry 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 42 Changinggenerations facing more media and social pressures continued from p.41 "It will be conversational, it won't be a lecture," said Duguid, adding he is looking forward to hearing the perspectives of the young men. "I'm not so far removed from high school, but I think it's a different generation already; they're surrounded by much more media pressure, social pressure." When speaking to teenagers Duguid said he gets good feedback, but inevitably there's pushback. "There are a lot of misconceptions as to how men and women experience domestic violence." One question that surfaces is why there is no mens shelter in Halton, a quasi-flippant query to which he thoughtfully responds. Statistics suggest domestic violence most commonly happens in a heterosexual relationship where men are the perpetrators and a female is the victim, but it can happen the other way around and it can happen in same sex relationships, he said. "But I can't have them leaving there thinking it's a 50/50 split because the fact is that over 90 per cent of the time men are perpetrators of violence and females are the victims." "That being said, just because most domestic violence is committed by men, most men aren't ever going to engage in domestic violence and that's kind of a take-home message for them as well. I tell them I'm not here because I think one day you're going to use physical violence against a woman; I'm here because things like telling ^ It will be conversational, it won't be a lecture. I'm not so far removed from high school, but I think it's a different generation already; they're surrounded by much more media pressure, social pressure. ^ ^ He sees a difference among male students' perception of the information when it comes from a man. "I like the opportunity of being able to reach out to a generation of men, who, before I worked there, maybe weren't listening." Domestic violence can seem like a faraway problem but it' s not; it's very much a Halton issue and it crosses all boundaries, said Duguid. School presentations are connected to the Ontario curriculum in some way, most often through the new phys-ed curriculum, but HWP public educators are also invited into technology, media and law classrooms, as well as parenting and life skills classes. The three team members average 40 presentations a month. In Grade 1, the presentation is framed around healthy friendships; in Grades 3, 4 and 5, the talk is more about bullying and abuse and how the two aren't that different, said Duguid. "When you get into high school, it' s about sexual assault and consent. We talk about domestic violence and the law, as well as the mental health implications of unhealthy or abusive relationships." Every grade is offered multi sessions, which can be used on three consecutive days or over several months, at a teacher' s discretion, said Duguid. Feedback from the HWP presentations has been "overwhelmingly positive." Students are usually very surprised to discover there's even a shelter and that at any point during the year, all its available 52 beds (across both shelter locations) are full and we often have to turn people away because of capacity and hook them up with places in Hamilton or Peel because our numbers are just too high. That was a shock to me and remains a shock to all students." In his role, Duguid brings the confidence needed to show men and boys how to recognize and stand up to violence against women in their daily lives, whether it's on the playground or in the locker room," said Hepburn. "As HWP's first male staffer, Brent has certainly graced us all with his humour and ability to fit in perfectly with his colleagues as we also navigate having our first male at HWP" Duguid's hopes for EngageMENt are not only that it eventually goes region-wide, but that the conversation begun in the program carries on after he leaves. "I would like that after the eight hours I spend with the guys, it turns into conversations they had with their brothers, or their uncles or their own friends who weren't part of the group. There' s this feeling when I do a presentation, that people view domestic violence as a physical thing adults do sometimes that's bad and they should go to jail. But the definition of violence is broader than that and includes things like objectifying women and making sexist jokes," said Duguid, adding, if they understand that, then they realize they may be perpetrators of violence so it's not something that's not their issue." BEAVER | Thursday, Brent Duguid Male public educator, Halton Women's Place w w w .insideH A LTO N .com | OAKVILLE sexist jokes and laughing at certain things in movies and TV shows and buying certain music all goes towards supporting a culture that doesn't seem to care that domestic violence is still a very large issue in society;" In order to eliminate violence against women, men and boys need to be engaged and part of the solution, said Hepburn. "A male brings their experience in `being and identifying' as male throughout their life journey, which brings a perspective to the work that is unique to men and boys. Brent brings this male perspective, which will undoubtedly assist him in developing innovative programs and finding ways to engage our young men and boys in understanding their role in ending violence against women." The odd eyebrow is raised in school offices when he arrives as the HWP representative, but it is always a pleasant surprise, smiled Duguid. 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