DAYTON, Ohio — The YWCA of Dayton is just one of five in the country selected for the Amend Together program, which will engage boys and men to prevent violence against women. The program’s success could help determine how the program can continue to expand.
What You Need To Know
- The YWCA of Dayton is just one of five in the country to have the Amend Together program
- Amend Together engages young men and boys to prevent violence in relationships with women
- In its first year of the program, nearly 200 Dayton-area students are participating
At the YWCA, one of their pillars is to empower women. And now with a new program, they’re doing that indirectly by empowering young men.
This group of men is making sure the young boys in the Dayton community know how to treat and respect women.
“It not only empowers them or teaches them a lot about themselves and the men that they’ll become, but also allows them to know how to treat women, which is going to empower women down the line,” said Jonathan Cain, the director of family and community engagement at DECA.
Program Lead Marshall Weil went to Nashville two years ago where Amend Together was founded. Now, the program is officially in the Dayton area. He hopes it allows women and girls to feel safer.
“What we know is that while not all men are abusers, most abusers are men,” Weil said. “And so, we have a responsibility as men and male identifying people to hold each other accountable. And that’s what this program is really about.”
The program also has several specialists that work directly with the students. One of those is Joshua Johnigan, a Dayton native.
“When I found out about this program, it hit home for me,” Johnigan said. “Bringing it to my own home city was very personal. Like you said, we have a lot of negative stereotypes that do go out about young men from Dayton, Ohio. So, just being able to be a part of that change and trying to introduce the youth to a different outlook on life itself, was it for me.”
In just its first week, facilitators are making sure students are getting comfortable with each other so they can tackle tough conversations ahead.
“You have to gain some understanding and trust between the students and ourselves,” said Travis Richards, a program specialist. “So, we invite them into this safe space we create, this safe space for them, and engage them and understand who they are and be expressive about it as well.”
“I didn’t have a father to really communicate certain things with me,” Johnigan said. “So, I looked to other individuals to find that. And I felt that if I had that in my own home then, hey, my life could have probably turned out a little bit differently.”
This year, there are about 200 young men and boys involved in the Amend Together program. It will go through the rest of the school year.
