Acquaintance rape is a pervasive crime on American college campuses. Historically, the prevention of rape and sexual assault has been viewed as a "women's issue," with women continuously being left with the full responsibility. However, all-male rape prevention groups have been increasingly present on college campuses nationwide with the goals of spreading awareness and educating male students about the harmful effects of sexual violence on both women and men. This exploratory qualitative study looks at the circumstances leading to college men’s involvement in these all-male anti-rape groups. The study consists of in-depth interviews with 25 male college students who are active members of all-male rape prevention groups.

This work describes the groups' structure and organizational goals and analyzes themes that emerged that illustrate men's motivations for involvement. The interviews reveal that two main pathways led men to join these campus-based groups: first, personal issues, such as knowing a victim of sexual assault, and second, being recruited by a charismatic group member. Other important influencing factors discussed are issues of masculinity, stigma management, fraternities and alcohol, and the desire to move from being a concerned citizen to an activist. The detail-rich data provides a unique opportunity to learn from the experiences of men who made the decision to join all-male rape prevention groups and to understand the best ways to develop men’s awareness of the issue and motivate men’s involvement. Results are discussed with regard to suggestions for further research and implications for policy, particularly for colleges and universities.