SALT LAKE CITY - U.S. snowboarders were at the Utah State Capitol on Monday encouraging men to stand up against domestic and sexual violence.
House Bill 50 gives women a new chance to protect themselves against domestic and sexual violence.
"It fills a gap currently in code so that people who are not cohabitating or don't have children together can still petition the court and seek protection when they have had violence committed against them or there is a threat of violence in time for the criminal justice system system to do their job," said Jennifer Seelig, D-Salt Lake City.
The Men's Anti-violence Network of Utah, or MAN, was formed to encourage both men and women to call for the end of domestic violence.
"It is time for all the good men and women and this state and country to stand up and say enough is enough," said Woods Cross Police Chief Greg Butler.
Marty Liccardo, the founder of MAN, says that crimes against issue shouldn't be considered a women's issue but a men's issue.
"One of the things we know about men's violence and violence against women is that men make up a wildly disproportionate number of the people who are perpetrating crimes against women," Liccardo said.
With the help from some members of the U.S. snowboarding team, MAN was out at Capitol Hill to get the word out on how to change the mindset of the issue.
"Today it's kind of strange that this world tries to teach women how to prevent women from being sexually assaulted, whether it's walk in groups or walk with keys between their fingers, when in reality we should be teaching men and boys how to act," said snowboarder Jonathan Cheever.
For more information about MAN's cause, go to www.manutah.org.
