Wednesday, 22 February 2006

Men's problems

The widespread sexual abuse that is prevalent is our society has left no area of life untainted. As a priest I am only too well aware of that. As a former Boy Scout I am only too aware of that. As a former teacher.....well there you go.
What do all these areas of life have in common? They are all supremely dominated by men.

In a vigorous conversation yesterday with three people I know well, one of whom is critically involved in education for safe behaviours...she said when we talking about two people going away for a week's work "Well we will have to make sure the man has his police clearance."
Not one to leave anything (let alone "well") alone...I added "And the woman too."
To which she replied.."Oh of course,but we all know that abuse is essentially a man's problem".
And I cannot demur from that pragmatic analysis.

What ever else we might think about why priests, teachers or scout leaders abuse people, let's not overlook the obvious fact that the majority of perpetrators (as in the recent nusing home case). We are titillated by the few cases of women teachers who seduce their charges, but that I think is because that is something of an oddity and pretty rare. Many (even most) men even get something of a buzz from this idea.

The problem is that we live in a society in which men are like this, and which permits men to be like this. Not just the odd one or two but many, many of us. Even if all men are not perpetrators of specific acts of sexual violence (that is what they are) our society condones and even promotes a type of macho maleness which is consistent with these abusive notions.

When are we going to hear the voices being raised to start, and start now, attitude changing-consciousness raising that promotes zero-tolerance in all walks of life with regard to power abuse by men, and particularly in so far as it manifest itself in sexual violence.

There is not much heart for this. But then, of course, men largely control the political purse strings!!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

"But then, of course, men largely control the political purse strings!!" too true - and the church!!

Stephan Clark said...

yes indeed...I fear that our particular little section of it is going to experience yet another bpout of hierarchical bullying!!, from what I hear on the episcopal grapevine

Anonymous said...

C'mon Stephen. Don't tantalise us like that. Isn't it about time to spill the beans? We're all eagerly waiting to hear the next episode. Is it a fate worse than death? Fiat lux. YT, Anon.

Anonymous said...

Another of the surprises for this relative newbie to church life was the degree to which power politics is played out in the church.
I work in the mining industry, where the company politics, power plays and ego stroking are legendary. But some of the stuff that I've seen at the local congregational level gets close. And in a less structured church organisation like the Uniting Church, it's the lay members who often seem to engage in the fiercest power plays and most energetic jockeying for position - the "church groupies", as I've heard them described.

Gatot Hardiyanto said...

Don't tantalise us like that