New Group at Saint Martin’s Makes A Stand Against Violence

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By Gail Wood

dairy queenWith the recent public focus on professional athlete’s involvement in domestic violence, Stephen Mahnken sometimes felt a little uneasy about telling someone he was an athlete.

Mahnken, an outfielder and a pitcher on Saint Martin’s University’s baseball team, wanted to help change that perception of male athletes. So, he joined SAVE, an on campus group that is an acronym for Saints Against Violence Everywhere.

“It almost seems that there is a negative connotation of calling yourself a male athlete now,” Mahnken said.

athletes against violence
Alice Loebsack recruited Zach Carter (left) and Stephen Mahnken to join a new club at Saint Martin’s University that focuses on stopping domestic violence.

“I was always taught that being a male athlete is a privilege and you use that privilege to help others and to be a good role model,” Mahnken said.

The purpose of SAVE, which was recently created by Alice Loebsack, SMU’s head trainer, is to both help change perceptions of male athletes and to help and prevent domestic and other forms of violence. Like Mahnken, Zach Carter, who also plays on SMU’s baseball team, wanted to help the victims of domestic violence.

“One thing I like about the group is our saying – we stand because no one deserves to stand alone,” Carter said.

Their club is there to help people who think that they’re not safe and that it’s not a safe world.

“There’s a lot of violence going on,” Carter said. “This group is standing up to say hey, we’re here. We want you to know that there’s someone here standing against all those kinds of acts. That’s what got me involved.”

The club also hopes to change negative perceptions of male athletes by doing something good, by connecting with food drives or with helping hands projects. They’re considering teaming up with the Boys & Girls Club of Thurston County. They also want to raise money for a battered women’s shelter.

“It’s asking ‘what can you do about helping,’” Loebsack said.

athletes against violence
The group started meeting in September and between 13-15 athletes show up weekly including Mahnken (left) and Carter.

In late September, Loebsack organized the first meeting. There were 15 male athletes at that first meeting and between 13 and 15 at every weekly meeting since. The club is a positive counter to the negative news about male athletes.

“After all the negative publicity from the NFL this past fall I got to talking with Stephen and Zack about what interest would be out there,” Loebsack said. “They seemed really interested. We informally put out flyers to invite people to just talk.”

SAVE’s objective is to help stop domestic violence, bullying and other forms of violence. It’s also a hand of support reaching out to the victims.

Part of SAVE’s message is to change an athlete’s own definition of what it means to be a strong, tough male. While that rugged, determined manner is fine while participating in sports, Loebsack said there has to be a friendlier, less aggressive off-the-field manner.

“You don’t have to be violent to be a strong, effective athlete,” Loebsack said. “You don’t have to bring that home with you.”

While an objective of SAVE is to let female victims know that they aren’t alone, the purpose of the club isn’t counseling. It might console, but not counsel. That’s because SAVE members don’t have that training and experience to be a counselor.

athletes against violence
The club intends to move out into the community to provide education around stopping domestic violence.

“They would not be out there counseling,” Loebsack said. “You know that these guys are standing for something. They would help them find the right people. But they’d be by no means counseling. They’d just be letting them know that there’s someone supporting them.”

With the club’s emphasis on doing good and helping, Loebsack said the conversation about male athletes would continue to be positive and not negative.

“It used to be you could say ‘oh I don’t participate in domestic violence or other forms of violence,’” Mahnken said. “Now, it’s become an issue and you have to be more proactive. When Alice brought it up I thought it would be interesting. No one should have to deal with anything like that and they shouldn’t have to go through it alone.”

The club has taken a pledge to not only stand against violence, but to pledge that they’d stop it when they witness it. Their objective is to also help stop domestic violence, bullying and other forms of violence.

“Next semester we hope to go out and talk with the community about domestic violence. We want to educate that we need to rally together and stand up,” Mahnken said.

If you need help, contact Saint Martin’s University Counseling and Wellness Center at 360-412-6123, the SafePlace Help Line at 360-754-6300 or the Crisis Clinic of Thurston and Mason Counties at 360-586-2800.

 

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