MSU BILLINGS PROFESSOR DISCUSSES GENDER DIFFERENCES IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS IN LIBRARY LECTURE

October 23, 2008   

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — In 2007, Yellowstone County law enforcement officials handled 646 reported cases of domestic violence. Officials estimate that even more don’t seek help and suffer in silence and at least eight people each year die from domestic violence.

While significant efforts have been made to raise awareness about domestic violence and the resources available to victims, clear gender differences exist on how those efforts have been received, according to Dr. Sarah Keller, assistant professor of communications at Montana State University Billings. Those gender differences were the focus of a presentation Keller gave October 23, 2008 as part of the MSU Billings Library Lecture Series.

The lecture was titled: “Domestic Violence Ads Gone Awry: Backlash Reaction Among Men.”  

Keller has developed a service learning curriculum in the Department of Communication and Theatre that has been well received by students and the community. In partnership with Dr. A.J. Otjen in the College of Business, Keller and students have produced social marketing campaigns that have promoted HIV testing, increased outdoor physical activity and domestic violence prevention.  Each campaign has been supported by external grants and in-kind services from area broadcast and media professionals.  The “Open Your Eyes” domestic violence prevention campaign earned several statewide advertising awards.

The October 2008 lecture focused on a study which examined similarities and differences with respect to how men and women responded to and processed information from the “Open Your Eyes” campaign. Keller says that while there is widespread community support for preventing violence in the home, “we found mixed responses of men and women to the portrayal of domestic violence in advertising.”

The study suggests that the relationship is complex, she said, and tailored messages may be needed to educate men and women about domestic violence separately.

“While women tended to increase their awareness of services, disagreement with common domestic violence-related myths, and belief in the response efficacy of services in response to the campaign, men moved in the opposite direction,” Keller said. “Hence, educators must be careful not to repeat gendered stereotyping in domestic violence advertisements in order to avoid exacerbating existing tensions around this issue.”

For more information about the MSU Billings Library Lecture Series, contact Brent Roberts, associate director of the library, at 657-1655.

Dan Carter

Director, University & Government Relations

Montana State University Billings

1500 University Drive

Billings, MT  59102

dcarter@msubillings.edu

406.657.2269 (o)

406.672.2720 (c)