With the first Iowa Men’s Conference to End Violence Against Women being on campus Thursday, now is a good time to rethink our attitudes about violence against women.

The conference is a necessity in helping to alleviate violence against women. Powerful officials statewide were invited to the event and planned to take the gathering’s ideas back to share with others.

This conference was a commendable step, and its principles need to be applied on a grass roots level at Iowa State. Violence against women is a complicated issue that can be battled here on many smaller fronts.

If such a conference is held again, it needs to be open to the public to reach a broader audience – people shouldn’t need an invitation.

As important as it is to make men aware of this problem, women also need to be informed. They can contribute to the problem as well as men. The ideas women hold about other women can perpetuate societal stereotypes that eventually lead to violent behavior.

College students also need to be an involved part of the discussion to end violence. Especially if a conference is going to be at Iowa State, its students should be participants. Instead of giving the message to an older generation to spread to 20-somethings, give the message straight to the audience that’s trying to be reached.

Also, an emphasis needs to be placed on stopping violence through even small measures. This includes the eradication of sexist comments, including some about women that were overheard during the conference.

The conference has given Iowa a starting point in stopping violence against women – now let’s make a conscious effort to incorporate those ideals at Iowa State.

Editorial Board: Carrie Tett, Greg Jerrett, Katie Goldsmith, Amie Van Overmeer, Andrea Hauser and Jocelyn Marcus