This project is built from workshops with formerly incarcerated men who are doing transformative work in the corrections community. The project includes a creative four-week curriculum entitled, “Be the Man,” including a leader guide and workbook for participants. The curriculum includes a servant-leadership model of group leadership with exploring of core beliefs, gender roles, negative self-talk, identifying the type of man they are today and would like to become, exploring language used to describe girls and women, exploring desired values, understanding sexual exploitation, and developing feeling language and new communication and relationship tools to be the man they want to become. This original work was piloted at a medium security prison yard and a residential drug treatment program. The feedback and outcomes of the pilot groups will be discussed along with lessons learned. Imagery and storytelling using themes of the protector will be explored. This is a call to action to increase the active role of men in the anti-trafficking community to explore ways to transform the way boys and men think about girls and women to protect them from sexual exploitation.
Trigger Warning: This presentation contains information (written, spoken, or visual) that may be triggering or (re)traumatizing to attendees.
Dominique Roe-Sepowitz is a Professor at ASU School of Social Work and the founder and director of the ASU Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research. She leads numerous initiatives working with community partners including law enforcement, social service providers, and survivor support organizations in multiple states.
After serving 17 years in prison in Mexico and the U.S., Julio Alamanza developed the Wrong to Strong program working with incarcerated youth and adults in settings including detention and reentry centers.
George Nolan is the marketing director for a large drug treatment, sober-living, and recovery center. His past incarceration has influenced his work to changing the ways that boys and men think to become leaders and protectors.