Yes. I think if there's a single answer, that's the answer: yes. I don't think boys are born biologically predetermined and genetically predestined to be abusive towards women or to treat women with disrespect. I think it's learned behaviour. A lot of people will use the term “learned behaviour”, but I'd rather say it's “taught behaviour”, because everything that's learned is taught. If you shift the language from “learned behaviour” to “taught behaviour”, it shifts the onus of responsibility onto those of us who are teaching boys what it means to be a man. That's both women and men. That includes the media culture, which is a great pedagogical or teaching force. It includes the sports culture. It includes religious belief systems. It's across the board. We as a community, if you will, are socializing our sons and daughters into certain kinds of norms. So, yes, I think at the heart of it is what we're teaching our sons and daughters.
On January 27th, 2015. See this statement in context.