Finding even a flicker of positivity in the wake of an abhorrent domestic violence event seems impossible, yet it happened. Christan Rainey, who lost his family to such tragedy, has committed himself to eradicating domestic violence and engaging men in this movement. His efforts have spawned a multi-faceted solution that includes education, activism, training and prevention.

The key to Christan’s effort: put men’s role in domestic violence at the forefront of solving the problem and teach men to own their role in breaking the cycle. This is a proactive approach that shifts from cultural norms and values. His training has been adopted by the City of North Charleston, is used by Charleston County School District, and is embodied in South Carolina Senate Bill 3.

A full-time father, fiancé, and fire department engineer, Christan Rainey embodies commitment in action. He is the Founder and Director of Men Against Domestic Violence USA and seeks to honor his mother and siblings who lost their life to domestic violence. A full-time father, fiancé, and fire department engineer, Christian embodies commitment in action. Now, he’s calling men to take up the same cause through Men Against Domestic Violence (MAD USA), a grassroots organization that’s putting violence at home to rest. 

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Christan Rainey: Men, own your role in domestic violence | Christan Rainey | TEDxCharleston

Men, own your role in domestic violence | Christan Rainey | TEDxCharleston

Transforming from victim to advocate, a man’s journey after losing his family to domestic violence shapes a mission to educate and prevent.

Highlighting the cultural shift needed in masculinity, teaching men about healthy gender roles can dismantle the roots of domestic violence.

Proactive education on healthy relationships, as early as childhood, emerges as a key strategy in breaking the cycle of domestic violence.