Comments about She Fears You

Faculty/Staff Hosts - Student Participants - Media - Professional Conference Attendees

"Keith Edwards is an excellent speaker on men's anti-violence issues. In addition to making a strong case for men's involvement in ending violence against women, he is very conscientious about addressing the many social justice and privilege issues that pertain to men's anti-violence work - issues that are not always addressed by speakers on this topic. He also has a very unique perspective on how men are hurt by violence against women, an important factor in motivating men to take action on this issue."

- Dr. Alan Berkowitz, Independent Consultant and Editor of “Men and Rape: Theory, Research and Prevention Programs in Higher Education”

Campus Hosts

"For those of you looking for an amazing speaker on the topic of sexual assault prevention, I suggest Keith Edwards. His focus on men ending rape underscores the need for men to be involved in this effort. I have worked closely with him for three years and have become more and more impressed with the work that he does. His multi-media program will leave your audience worked up and ready to make change. My students love him. Returners to my sexual assault prevention training request his program year after year. Keith is young and cool - he connects well with college students. He speaks to them in a way that really makes them hear what he has to say. His research is current and relevant. His examples cite popular media and are familiar references for college students. His use of interactive activities and visual aids underscore the learning that will take place for attendees. I have nothing but positive things to say about Keith Edwards. He will make your students angry... in a good way. He will incite positive change."

-Mollie Monahan, Coordinator Sexual Assault Peer Educators, University of Maryland

"I attended 'She Fears You' assuming it would be like many other programs: interesting, but not inspirational. In fact, it was far more than just interesting. The content was emotional and passionate, but presented in a rather pragmatic fashion. Students told me they left feeling like there was something very specific they could do to address the rape culture. So often, we don't inspire action; or we inspire action and provide no guide. This was not the case with 'She Fears You' - it did both! I would highly recommend this program as both an education tool for students and a mandatory training for staff."

-Dr. Kathleen G. Kerr, Director of Residence Life, University of Delaware

"I began the session with an honest skepticism. I moved quickly through a range of emotion - including the most poignant anger, disbelief, frustration, and guilt - then landed in a place of conviction. Many sexual assault programs for men play on those emotions, but 'She Fears You' is designed to equip and empower leaders to make a difference by changing a culture - the rape culture. Its message is both intellectually and emotionally powerful, the outcomes are realistically geared toward the individual and the group, and the passion is contagious. Not to be missed!"

-Christopher Elliott, Resident Director, Northern Arizona University

"The first time I saw She Fears You, I left in utter shock. Instead of sitting through another seminar telling women ways to prevent getting raped, I listened to men talk honestly and openly about what they need to do to end the rape culture on campus. I was inspired by the speaker, the content, the media examples, and the attentiveness and participation of the crowd during the presentation. To this day, I consider She Fears You to be one of the few programs that has had a monumental impact on how I approach my role as an advocate, student, leader, and citizen in relation to gender issues in the United States."

- Jen Robertson, Hall Director, University of Northern Colorado

"As a victim advocate, sitting through countless trainings on prevention education for incidents of sexual assault, She Fears You, is the first program I've seen that addressed the male component to the rape culture on college campuses. Providing a venue for participants to explore their beliefs about sexual assault, She Fears You, offers a safe space for students and staff alike to challenge one another on the very beliefs that contribute to an unsafe sexual climate on campus. She Fears You is an engaging program that angers participants, validates others, and leaves everyone thinking about what they can do to end sexual assault."

-Jen Frost, Resident Director, Lehigh University

"She Fears You: Men Ending Rape will challenge everyone in the audience. Men are challenged to see sexual assault and relationship violence as a men's issue. Everyone is challenged to step up and see the world as supporting a culture in which rape happens. This program will make men think, make men angry, and start the important dialogues that are need on our college campuses. Most important, this program doesn't just tell women to walk to their car with their keys between their fingers. Instead of the typical response of sexual assault programming, creating more fear for women, this program challenges men to take on the culture that supports perpetrators of sexual assault and to do it because they have something to gain. She will no longer fear you... "

-Grant Anderson, Coordinator of Residential Life: Staffing, Education, and Research, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

"I sincerely appreciate your ability to facilitate such important educational programs for challenging audiences. I admire your professionalism and creative approach to ending gender-based violence. Your presentation and the response you received from athletes have created an opportunity for the Aurora Center and the Department of Athletics to work together and continue developing violence prevention education resources for athletes on campus. The performance left a strong impression on those who attended. We received wonderful feedback from our volunteers in the audience. Many of them commented on how motivating it was to observe your facilitation skills. Several volunteers commented on how much they appreciated your thoughtful answers to audience questions. In particular, we appreciated your response to questions about the line between rape and sex. We thought it was very effective to challenging people to examine their own questions when they are asking how far they can go before raping a woman."

-Liz Borer, Aurora Center for Education and Advocacy, University of Minnesota

"Thanks again for the program...It was interesting to sit in on it again...not as a graduate Hall Director but now as a professional working in a Women's Center where we have a lot of focus on Sexual Violence Prevention. Thank you for contiuing to put yourself and your message out there...thank you for being on the students level...I knew some people in the room cringed when you said certain words or got animated...but they just don't get it...how can you impact students if your words aren't theirs? Yours is the only program to date that I have seen that actually works on the students level. I myself have been witness to how this program impacts both men AND women. When I talk to friends I worked with, they still talk about your program and its impact on them, fellow students and staff, and their attitudes to the issue."

-Heather Weaver, Lehigh University Women's Center

"I still hear comments being made by our freshman student athletes about your presentation. You definitely have a strong message that needs to be heard. I want to thank you for sharing your message with us."

-Kelly Brooks, Director of Life Skills, Xavier University Athletics

"[Keith] was able to balance the extremely delicate task of delivering a strong and deliberate message, while remaining enthusiastic and open to engaging the audience in a professional manner. Clear examples stressed the importance of being an agent of change, by seeking out methods to change the culture amongst sports teams as well as within the entire campus community. Being able to address both men and women on this issue was by far a necessity in stressing the overall importance of ending sexual violence. Mr. Edwards truly gained our respect during his presentation by not bashing men, however; more so sharing with both men and women the importance of making wise decisions in your actions and words...Mr. Edwards was highly prepared for his presentation and related very well to our student-athletes, by being available to address questions and concerns they presented over the course of the evening."

Anissa M. Lightner, Assistant Life Skills Coordinator &
Peyton N. Owens, III, Director of Life Skills, University Of Minnesota University Of Minnesota

Student Participants

"WOW... it was powerful, informative and moving, i think that is the least i could say about the presentation. Keith Edwards hits close to home in this stunning presentation that informs students and faculty of the incidents that go on around the country but also right here on our college campus. Keith Edwards seems, and proved to me, that he is a very smart, well-spoken opinionated man with a purpose in the world, and that purpose is to gain his dignity back as a man by helping this country end rape. The presentation gained the interest of many including myself from the get go. He was not dull or boring, he even had some funny material to lighten the mood in the room. I was one of maybe four other students to attend the presentation he did
for the faculty. One thing Idid realize sitting in a room of well educated faculty was that they were in just as much shock as i was when he read off some of the statistics. But to me the statistics were not all that staggering. What i found to be most interesting or rather disappointing was the discussion about our society, and our "rape culture." Not only did Keith Edwards open my eyes to rape and what it is exactly, but how our culture perceives these incidents and teaches our
society from the age of toddlers that it is OK."

-Aubrey Manning, Ithaca College student

"Thank you. There are no words I can say. I wanted to leave during your presentation, but I couldn't. It all hit so close to home. Until now, I've never confronted or dealt with what happened to me. As a survivor of rape, I feel like I have much to say, and no one to listen. Today, you showed me that there are people, men even, who hear the silent cries. One day I will be strong enough, and I would like to help others gain the perspective I have. Maybe I could even help you to understand what it feels like to be me. It has been three years since I first became a victim...It has been only since this morning at your presentation that I have become a survivor. If I could help one woman, or prevent one act of sexual assault, or one rape, or even comfort one woman - that in and of itself would be the greatest thing I could accomplish. If I could show one man how to handle a sitution where he is feared, or how to comfort a broken woman, maybe I could help to change things. One day I will do that. Mostly thanks to you, I am not a victim of rape - I am a survivor. I know that now. I am on the road to recovery, and perhaps I can pave that same road for another - maybe even block it. So from the bottom of my heart, I thank you."

- letter from a female student after seeing She Fears You.

"'She Fears You' really was a much needed kick in the pants to realizing that I, as a man had a role to play in ending violence against women. It made me angry at myself, and other men that we made ourselves out to be a part of the horrendous monster that is sexual assault. It told me that men can be a part of the solution. 'She Fears You' was the catalyst that made me become an active participant in the fight against sexual assault and rape."

-Starvonsky Gibbs, founding member and treasurer, Men Against Rape Society, University of Delaware

"There were times where your presentation brought a sense of overwhelming guilt inside of me. I do not womanize, seek out intoxicated women and on top of that, as a Greek, I feel I have caught some of my brothers or other friends off-guard by calling them out when they will do such things. The guilt I felt was in the fact that through your lecture, I feel I could be doing more and more importantly than feeling obligated to do so, I want to do more - and still have not. The second thing I really liked about your lecture, and after speaking with a few of my brothers that attended they felt the same way, that while certain statistics or inalienable truths about society may strike guilt into mine and others hearts, there were times when your lecture made me feel truly good about myself - that I am not just a typical, 20 year old white male in a "frat." I recognize that noticeable change shows through the ripple effect of individuals actions."

- J. Burke Miller, University of Maryland

" I was at your presentation last night, as well as your conversation with the RAs. As a victim of sexual assault, I was really nervous when I heard I had to go to a presentation about rape. I didn't think I would last 5 minutes. But I stayed the entire hour and a half. The way you presented such a difficult topic was entirely new to me. I'd never thought of it as being a men's issue as well. When some of my male residents saw the fliers they came to me and said "What is this? I'm the most harmless teddy-bear on campus. Nobody could possibly fear me." And I thought in my head "Well, I do. I've lost trust in every single one of you." So I suggested they come to your program. And they did. And although I don't think they completely understand yet, at least they've now faced the possibility that they have some responsibility to take. Three weeks ago I had to break up with my boyfriend because I couldn't deal with certain things he'd do that would bring me back to my assault. I tried to explain it to him, but he didn't get it at all. He was at your program last night. I hope it helped him understand. And it really made me question some of the things I still do that might be supporting this "rape culture."

-email from female student after attending She Fears You presentation

"I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate this program you are putting on and how important I think it is. Thank you very much for coming and speaking to us, I hope that you will be back every year so that each new class will hear you speak and all returning students will be hit with your passion for the topic again. I think your message is unique, it is something that none of us have ever been exposed to before. Certainly, we have had programs on rape before, but the male perspective on rape is new and intriguing and I hope that some of the guys in the audience took it to heart. I also thought you should know that days later I heard one male upperclassman talking on the phone describing your program to someone who was not a student here. I also talked to my boyfriend a little about your program - he is both an athlete and pledging to be in the fraternity system - later that night when you came. Thank you very much for what you are doing, I think it can really make a difference."

-email from female student after attending She Fears You presentation

"I originally had to attend your presentation as a form of extra credit for a class of mine, after 5 minutes of hearing you speak I absolutely loved what you are standing for. You are one of the best public speakers I have heard in quite some time. I just wanted to say thank you for coming and say that I loved hearing you! We actually talked about your speech in class today, just thought I'd let you know!"

-female Ithaca College student

Professional Conference Attendees

I thought that this workshop was excellent! I got three concrete things out of this; men against violence listserv, resources, and ideas for recruitment. I have never attended an ACPA pre-convention workshop before because I thought it would be long and boring. Keith kept the group interested, and gave me ideas as to how to help men end rape.
-ACPA Pre-Conference Attendee, Orientation/First-Year Programs

I thoroughly enjoyed this presentation. The MARS model was very helpful in giving me a model to use as a springboard for a model of a men's group that I want to initiate on campus. The handouts and web site information was very helpful as well. This is a program that could easily be a whole day. I would consider making this workshop longer.
-ACPA Pre-Conference Attendee, Housing and Residence Life

Handouts and power point gave great information. Attention to issues of diversity and inclusion was excellent. Openness to discussion of ideas/issues raised by audience was refreshing.
-ACPA Pre-Conference Attendee, Counseling/Psychological Services

I really enjoyed the program. It is wonderful to see a man so passionate about such a tough issue. As a woman - thank you!
-ACPA Pre-Conference Attendee, Wellness/Health Services, Faculty

This was a great program. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. Great program ideas and amazing "rape culture" advertising information. Also, I think the most powerful information was the reality you display around all issues - especially with the University of Colorado football team.

-ACPA Pre-Conference Attendee, Wellness/Health Services

It is definitely exciting for me to find that there are resources and people invested in this issue. I am leaving with a wealth of information and several ideas for how to continue to learn more about the subject and eventually become involved. I feel much more motivated and hopeful about ways to tackle this issue on campus without being the only one or having to start from scratch.
-ACPA Pre-Conference Attendee, Academic Affairs