By DEBORAH A. MILES
In upstate New York, as well as around the country, things are changing when it comes to diffusing domestic violence. More and more men are getting involved and PEF members have been taking the lead.

Ed Guider, a criminal justice program representative at the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, is passionate about changing the number one women’s health issue in the country, according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office.

So is Bill Schaefer, a community correction representative 2 at the state Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives. He develops resources and provides training for probation officers on how to respond to domestic violence offenders and victims.

And they’re making a difference on their own time, volunteering as advocates for victims of domestic and sexual abuse. Through separate organizations, they are raising awareness in communities that injurious behavior is unacceptable.

Shocking statistics
Guider heads a group called Schenectady Stand Up Guys and said he would like to see the state make a stronger effort to stop domestic and sexual violence.

“As far as Schenectady Stand Up Guys is concerned, when you have 70 percent of police calls for service being domestic; 50 percent of the district attorney’s cases being domestic; 70 to 80 percent of the family court cases being domestic; and, 50 percent of the one public defender’s cases being domestic, something needs to be changed,” Guider said.

Schenectady Stand Up Guys wrote letters to the editor, contacted the mayor’s office, city council representatives and the district attorney’s office. It became a part of the local Coordinated Community Response (CCR) task force, and has decided to concentrate its efforts on making systems operate with full steam.

The group does a lot of community outreach through town meetings, church groups and neighborhood associations.

“Schenectady has the worst reported domestic violence statistics in the state according to Sen. Charles Schumer,” Guider said. “There is a renewed emphasis to stop domestic violence and sexual abuse. The district attorney recently received a grant for $178,000 and said stopping domestic violence will be the priority of his office in 2010.”

Guider is steadfast on getting more community awareness and would like to see more PEF members become involved in their agency prevention programs for domestic violence.

“There is a requirement for union involvement in Executive Order 19, but not all PEF activists have taken advantage of this opportunity,” Guider said. “And some agencies have ignored the union participation requirement.”

Prevention is key
Schaefer is a member of Northern New York Call2Men (NNYC2M). Its mission is ”to educate ourselves and others on the social changes needed to end violence against women.”

“If you look at the statistics without pushing an agenda, thousands of crimes are committed by men against women. It can go the other way too, but the majority of the time it’s the men doing the harm,” Schaefer said.

“NNYC2M is about primary prevention. We need to educate ourselves and others on the social changes needed to end violence against women.”

This group has spread the word throughout the Glens Falls area through film forums, golf outings, participation in marches, and public speaking engagements. Now it is getting its message across to representatives at local high schools and colleges.

“Every guy knows a woman who has been affected by domestic violence. Abusive men walk around with an attitude of entitlement. ‘I make the gold, I make the rules’ kind of thinking. That’s got to go,” Schaefer said.

“When they get caught, these cases grease their way through the criminal justice system. They walk into court with a harassment charge. In this state, that’s equivalent to a traffic ticket, for doing some pretty nasty stuff. If we can change their thinking patters before violence is used, we will end up with fewer homicides,” he said.

Guider and Schaefer said there are approximately two dozen men in each of their groups, with women who provide leadership and direction. They are two examples of PEF members who hope more men will realize domestic violence isn’t just a women’s issue. It’s also men teaching men to do the right thing.