In whose shoes?

The UB Men's Group has a clear message: stop rape and violence against women. Their actions, however, are not as clear.

It is commendable that this group of individuals banded together to fight something that everyone should oppose. The "Walk a mile in her shoes" event brought many men and women together in the name of unity and protection - but the gap between wearing high heels and preventing rape is one to be acknowledged.

The message they are attempting to convey is a touchy one that can be easily confused. One such side effect of the Men's Group is the interpretation that the act of rape is collectively men's responsibility, and therefore men are the only ones with the power to stop it. This, though not the goal of the Men's Group, establishes the idea that women need the help and protection of men, a concept that is outdated and the opposite of helpful.

The group name itself not only excludes women, but also draws attention to men on an issue that mostly affects women. The spectacle of men walking in high heels around UB was just that - a spectacle for those who don't understand what it truly is like to be a female.

To suggest that men can understand the emotional toll of sexual violation for a woman is naive and ignorant. Such a bodily infringement is impossible for the opposite sex to bear. And while men can also experience rape, the more general exploitation and objectification of women by men is one that cannot be easily empathized with.

Similarly, the greater concept of slapping on high heels to show an understanding women's plight is as archaic as the subordination of the female gender itself. When men cannot even bear to walk a sockless mile around campus in these heels, it demonstrates that the effort isn't made to backhandedly know what it's like - rather, it's to draw unwarranted attention to those who aren't in need of the spotlight.

And let's not forget that women have been trying to debunk their prescribed gender roles and stereotypes, such as forced feminization through skirts and stilettos. Perhaps these barely post-adolescent men can't recall a time where women fought to wear a pair of pants and sneakers.

Speaking of bygone years, can we recall the last time men made female rape all about them? It was when women used to be regarded as possessions, and rape was a crime against a husband or father's property. Suggesting that men need to take the reins and help women avoid being violated is to sully the independence women have gained in recent decades.

When the basic idea is that rape can be stopped when men stop doing nothing and start doing something, it's quite the claim that if all good men band together, bad men will be outnumbered and unable to hurt others. But it's just not that simple. A nice thought, but a belief that is far from reality, taking into consideration the uniquely tragic crime of rape.

It is not as easy as "doing something" to stop violence and abuse. "Doing something" can be as effective as doing nothing, so it is essential that the right things are being done to educate the populace about the facts of rape, which the Men's Group has done a great job with. Their Web site lists many facts and attempts to dispel myths about rape, and puts together a noble list of "somethings" we can all do.

The battle against violence and rape is by no means a lost cause, but education, rather than just being aware, is the best way to prevent rape. Stopping rape is different from protecting oneself from it, and the latter is definitely a more realistic and doable act. Making a spectacle of one gender's plight and falsely claiming to understand because you borrowed an old pair of Mary Janes only furthers the gender divide.