MARS Behind Bars

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2009

When it comes to taking responsibility for sexual health, wellness, and birth control issues, the burden falls on the shoulders of the female in many relationships. The Benton County Health Department recognized the hazards and inequity of this traditional mindset and responded with a groundbreaking new program called Male Advocates for Responsible Sexuality (MARS). This innovative community-focused and peer-to-peer delivered health promotion program helps young men between the ages of 13 and 25 make better sexual and reproductive health decisions. The MARs Behind Bars program drills down even further by focusing on high risk young men in juvenile correctional settings. MARS Behind Bars is the first and only sexual health education program in Oregon that focuses solely on the unique needs young men in a jail or juvenile detention setting. The mission of the program is to support men in taking a responsible role in promoting equality and cooperation in relationships, preventing pregnancy, violence and disease infection, as well as overcoming stereotypical gender roles.