The 7 Men Exercise: Evaluating an Educational Tool to Enhance Sexual Violence Education for Men

With the increase in bystander programs targeted at sexual violence prevention, efforts need to be made to address program effectiveness. Researchers have recognized differences in program outcomes by gender and acknowledge the need for more tailoring to men. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate a new 15 minute program activity called the 7 Men Exercise and compare the results to that of a control. The 7 Men Exercise aims to increase men’s awareness of behaviours that are known to be less recognizable as part of the continuum of sexual violence (e.g., rape jokes) as well as the real world impact those behaviours have. Fifteen men between the ages of 18 and 24 from a midsized university were recruited for this pilot study. Participants completed surveys at 3 time points (baseline, 1 week post-intervention, and 1 month post-intervention). The 7 Men Exercise was found to increase bystander efficacy and awareness of sexual violence in men. Recruitment strategies and methods used to prevent attrition were also successful.