University Health Services recognized Domestic Awareness Month by hosting nationally acclaimed public speaker Tony Porter on Wednesday at the Wisconsin Historical Society. Porter, the co-founder of "A Call to Men: National Association of Men and Women Committed to Ending Violence Against Women," discussed how men have been socialized into a specific role in society and suggested ways in which they can get involved in ending violence toward women.

Porter is an educator and activist who desires a change in men and a change in the current state of violence against women. He directed his speech toward "well-meaning men" who, unknowingly or not, receive social benefits and privileges simply by being men.

Porter emphasized that men must begin to examine the ways in which they have been socialized to be part of the problem and realize that they are part of a "silent partnership."

"Men have been socialized to have less value in women, treat women as property and objectify them," Porter said.

Porter continued with statistics, stating that one in every four women is raped and that 80 percent of all sexually assaulted women do not report the incident.

"Men are responsible for the trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of women," Porter said. "Violence against women is a human rights violation and is the manifestation of sexism."

"The current state is shocking, sad and angering," Lindrall said. "There is so much education out there about violence against women, but the numbers are still so high."

UW senior Erin Lindrall recognized people think of women as the property of men and agrees with Porter in that it should be a human rights issue, not just women's rights.

Porter said that as "well-meaning men," need to consciously separate themselves from other men who abuse or assault women in several ways: making monsters out of those who abuse or assault, focusing on fixing them and pathologizing their violence or viewing abusers as socially ill.

Porter added that society has been desensitized to violence and trained to blame women.

"Men need to accept and own the responsibility that violence against women will not end until men become part of the solution to end it," Porter said. "Violence against women is a man's choice — rooted in and supported by sexism."

He offered solutions to ending violence against women by encouraging men to understand and acknowledge sexism. He also encouraged men to speak against violence towards women instead of remaining quiet, which leads to silent affirmations of the violent acts.

Event facilitator James Chandler said he would like to see "normal guys sitting around and talking" about issues of violence against women and feel safe.

"That's the key to spreading the word," Chandler added.