Forcing sex constitutes rape, which is a serious crime. Men can challenge sexism in the culture. Cultural messages that say masculinity is about violence and violence is erotic promote a rape culture. Men can help prevent rape by challenging friends, co-workers and family members when they tell sexist jokes, share stories that glorify rape and demean women, or use rape as a threat. Men can intervene in situations in which they observe dangerous behavior by asking a woman whether she needs assistance and by preventing men from assaulting women who cannot at that moment speak for themselves.
Men can unlearn victim-blaming ideologies.
Women do not ask for, deserve, or enjoy rape. Like survivors of other crimes, survivors of sexual assault have not in any way caused crimes to be committed against them. From their friends, family, and significant others, survivors need non-judgmental support and respect for their decisions about how best to heal from the assault. Men are raped, too. Although the majority of rapes are committed by men against women, many men are survivors of sexual assault.