Newswise — The World Champion Boston Red Sox are partnering with Sport in Society to train their players in gender violence prevention this week. For five days (Wednesday, March 16-Sunday, March 20), Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society will be training Boston Red Sox minor league players at their Spring Training Facility in Fort Myers. The 2004 World Champions are the first Major League Baseball team to take a proactive approach and utilize Sport in Society's nationally renowned Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) program. MVP, a leadership program focusing on gender violence prevention and education utilizes a unique bystander approach to prevention. MVP has trained the rookies and free agents of the World Champion New England Patriots for seven years and has provided trainings on more than 100 college campuses across the country. "The partnership between the Red Sox and Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society is an important one," said Dr. Charles Steinberg, Red Sox Executive Vice President/Public Affairs. "And we are grateful to put the center's expertise to such good use. It is, of course, vital for our players to know how serious and unacceptable domestic violence is, and this program holds promise to effectively address this issue." Last Wednesday, Lifetime Television honored the Red Sox for their groundbreaking partnership with Sport and Society at their annual "Champions for Change" event in Washington, D.C. About the MVP Program
MVP is a leadership program that motivates men and women to play a central role in solving problems that historically have been considered "women's issues": rape, battering, and sexual harassment. Utilizing a unique bystander approach to prevention, the MVP program views men and women not as potential perpetrators or victims, but as empowered bystanders who can confront abusive peers. This emphasis reduces the defensiveness men often feel and the helplessness women often feel when discussing issues of men's violence against women. About The Center for the Study of Sport in Society
The mission of Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society is to increase awareness of sport and its relation to society, and to develop programs that identify problems, offer solutions and promote the benefits of sport. Sport in Society is committed to the idea that the sports community can, and should, take a lead role in bringing about positive social change. Sport in Society employs the unique power and influence of sport to create positive social change. Sport in Society impacts middle school and high school students, college student-athletes, professional athletes and adult administrators. Sport in Society's dedicated staff of current and former professional and collegiate athletes serve as trainers and change agents in society.
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