A discussion at Cal Poly on Thursday will cover how cultural influences can provoke men into sexual assault, as well as address how men can help stop rape.

Cal Poly’s Provocative Perspectives series talk at Vista Grande Café on campus, beginning at 7:30 a.m., will be hosted by male leaders from the university’s “Safer Men” program, the male-focused component of a campus group that provides sexual assault prevention and support services.

The talk is free and open to the public. It’s titled, “Masculinity, Sexual Violence, and Prevention: How Today’s Men Are the Problem and the Solution.”

Cal Poly alumni Nicholas Bilich and Kyle Rosso will lead the discussion on the link between men’s identity development and sexual violence.

They’ll talk about how our culture provokes masculinity, which creates an environment in which sexual assault is more likely. Both are state-certified rape crisis counselors and volunteer with the San Luis Obispo Sexual Assault Recovery and Prevention Center.

Reservations are required. For more information, call 756-0327 or email Liz Cofer at lcofer@calpoly.edu.