Thursday, December 16, 2004

The Big Half-Truth and It's Tragic Consequences

RATIONAL ANARCHY PUBLISHING


The Big Half-Truth and It's Tragic Consequences

The Honourable Senator Anne C. Cools
Public Consultation
Violence and Abuse Within The Family
The Neglected Issues
June 9,1995 & June 10, 1995
The Big Half-Truth and It's Tragic Consequences
by
Ferrel Christenson, Ph.D. Professor of Philosophy
University of Alberta
(Transcription by Lazarus Long)

To introduce my theme via an analogy, let me remind you of a recent shocking incident: the appeal-court case of Guy Paul Morin. The allegations made against police and prosecutors were twofold:
(1) That they had withheld data indicating his innocence;
(2) That they had failed to gather obvious evidence that would very
likely have proven his innocence.
In both cases, the evident motive was a pre-existing desire to make him appear guilty.

I don't know whether these particular claims about suppression of fact are true or not' but I can say something about suppression of facts in general. ONE CAN PROMOTE A FALSEHOOD WITHOUT EVER LITERALLY TELLING A FALSEHOOD NAMELY, BY TELLING HALF-TRUTHS AND THE MOTIVE FOR SUPPRESSION OF EVIDENCE IS THE SAME AS FOR TELLING OUTRIGHT FALSEHOODS: DECEIVING OTHERS. So if the investigators in the Morin case were to defend themselves by saying "Hey, we never actually lied", I hope no one would be taken in by it.
Unfortunately, large amounts of similar distortion of the truth are gotten away with, and there are often tragic consequences. That brings us to the reason for holding this forum. It is an attempt to raise public consciousness to one massive contemprorary distortion of the truth, and to the thousands of Guy Paul Morins who are its victims.
Let me illustrate the problem concretely by reading some brief passages. It's from a preliminary report of a few years back, by the Family Violence Committee, of a mayor's taskforce on safer cities, opening paragraph: "Family violence encompasses violence against women and children, perpetrated by men". Then throughout the report it's the same story; only men are mentioned as abusive in the family, even toward children.

This from a recent newspaper report in the same vein, indicating that nothing has changed in the interim: "men who abuse their spouses and children will be more likely to seek help under the plan to coordinate city agencies...." and again, the entire article reads as if there were not enough family violence by women to mention, even in the case of the battering of children.

THIS IS SIMPLY INCREDIBLE. About half the battering and killing of children is done by women. There is no dearth of statistics on this. The women who are doing this need help and deterrence, but the message that they are getting is that they don't have a problem. The message others are getting is that they don't have a problem, women are only victims, never victimizers. IT'S AS IF THOSE WHO WRITE SUCH THINGS AS JUST QUOTED WERE WILLING TO SACRIFICE HALF OF THE CHILD VICTIMS ON THE ALTAR OF SEXIST IDEOLOGY.

Now here's a shocking fact: the two items I have just cited are completely typical. The same distortion is committed day in and day out, in news articles, commission reports, literature by churches and volunteer organisations, police pamphlets, bulletins from government ministers, and so on. Even research reports by social scientists often suppress or fail to gather half of the evidence on this subject as Professor Strauss pointed out last night. IT WOULD BE SHOCKING IF SUCH A SERIOUS DISTORTION WOULD OCCUR EVEN ONCE, THAT IT IS COMMITTED HUNDREDS UPON HUNDREDS OF TIMES A YEAR, YEAR AFTER YEAR, IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. ONLY A VERY POWERFUL SET OF INFLUENCES COULD PRODUCE SUCH A MASSIVE DISTORTION OF THE TRUTH.

Just what those influences are is a large topic for another general ones can be mentioned. There is the psychological power of tradition in this case, the tradition of sexist chivalry that says that men are nasty and women pure. There is the power of preconception, especially ideology, to distort the perception of facts in this case, contemporary feminist ideology. There is the strong human tendency toward black and white thinking, ignoring all the statistical gradations in between. And there are sweeping stereotypes: "Men are like this, women are like that." Then there is the herd like behavviour so common among human beings. BUT MOST OF ALL, THERE IS THE SAD FACT THAT NOBLE CAUSES, ARE OFTEN USED AS A COVER FOR WRONGDOING. Because if you oppose the wrongdoing, you will be accused of opposing the good cause itself. You'll be accused of backlash, intimidation by the fear of being thus accused, I submit, is a major reason for the grotesque distortions of the truth we have been seeing.

Though all theses influences can be very powerful, they can be challenged. That is why this forum has been organised: to promote a more balanced view of family violence, by revealing how seriously the facts being given to the public have been distorted. That will not be easy to do however: the very influences that have caused the problem in the first place will continue to operate.

For example: in an earlier forum with Senator Cools in Edmonton, the organizers were accused in the local paper of simply being picky about statistics, of fostering a debate about "who is worse, men or women". That is simply insane. If there were merely more emphasis out there on male violence in the family, we would never dream of spending our valuable time and resources on an event like this one today. What we are trying to do is to create recognition that there is an appreciable amount of family violence and abuse by women and that there are many male victims.
Because of the tendencies towards black and white thinking, even some very legitimate concerns can be carried to extremes. Let us consider a few of those legitimate concerns. "But a major reason why there is so much child battering by women", it is pointed out, "is that women spend much more time with the children". That is perfectly true.

Now, we mustn't read too much into this "time at risk" explanation. A major reason for Male Violence against children is precisely spending too little time with them to bond properly. But experiencing so much of the frustration of child-rearing surely is a major source of abuse by mothers. That fact, however, is not the only one that matters here.
The majority of parents spend a lifetime with their children without being seriously violent towards them: those that do become violent whatever the reason, maybe need help and deterrence. But they will not receive that help and deterrence if it is not politically correct even to acknowledge their violence in the first place.

Here's another legitimate concern that is carried to an extreme: the fact that in general outside the family, males are more physically violent that females. For both biological and cultural reasons, this is true. On average, men have greater muscular strength and energy, for example; and, those with a greater capability to be violent, statistically, will be more violent. (There are also other reasons for this gender difference regarding violence. Though it would be valuable to discuss them, other matters are closer at hand).

Now, the average gender difference regarding muscular strength is not relevant in the case of violence done to small children, women can do it equally well. Even regarding the abuse of older children, and the abuse of spouses, however, there is no justification for the massively one-sided publicity the subject always receives. Let me note the reasons. FOR ONE THING, VIOLENCE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE DIRECT. THERE ARE MANY WAYS OF GETTING OTHERS TO COMMIT VIOLENCE FOR YOU. In recent years, one particular form of indirect violence, namely, the making of wrongful accusations has been a veritable epidemic. That is why, in this forum on violence and abuse, a session has been scheduled specifically on the subject of wrongful accusation in family conflicts. Especially during divorce, THIS CAN BE A VERY POWERFUL WEAPON, IN ITS MOST VICIOUS FORM IT USES CHILDREN AS WEAPONS OF DESTRUCTION. It is every bit as serious as the form of abuse that are endlessly discussed in the literature that I have mentioned. And yet it has not been recognised in the publicity as a form of domestic violence and abuse. That must change.

Notice well, now: to suggest that women commit this indirect form of violence more often is not to denigrate women, any more than to admit that men are directly violent more often, is to denigrate men. It is merely to admit that any human being who wants to harm another is apt to use the means that are available. Parenthetically, the same goes for acts to help other people. About 90% of the physically heroic acts in society are also performed by men but women would perform them just as much if they were equally able.

The next point is related to the last. NOT ONLY DOES SERIOUS HARM TO ANOTHER PERSON, NOT HAVE TO BE DIRECT, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PHYSICAL. AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE USE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WAYS TO HARM OTHERS, WOMEN ARE AS CAPABLE AS MEN. NOT ONLY ARE THEY EQUALLY CAPABLE, BUT LARGE AMOUNTS OF SURVEY DATA INDICATE THAT THEY COMMIT VERBAL ABUSE EQUALLY OFTEN.

This brings us back again to the massive literature on abuse in the family. Even when discussing verbal abuse, the literature still talks as if only men commit it and only women suffer it, (a certain defeated Liberal leader in Ontario believes that). AS I HAVE NOTED EARLIER IN REGARD TO CHILD BATTERING: IF THIS GROSS DISTORTION WERE COMMITTED ONLY ONCE IT WOULD BE SHOCKING; THAT IT IS BEING COMMITTED OVER AGAIN, DAY IN AND DAY OUT, IS BEYOND BELIEF. ALSO AGAIN, SUCH A GROTESQUE DISTORTION COULD ONLY HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF VERY POWERFUL SOCIETAL INFLUENCES.

Though there is much to be said on the subject of psychological abuse, for the present purposes, two special kinds are singularly important.

First there is wrongful accusation again.
Even when it does not involve physical force exercised through the power of the state, which it often does, it still can inflict massive emotional pain and harm.
Second, attempts to obstruct or poison relationships between children and those who love them is another vicious form of emotional violence.

That is why a special session of this public forum, on family has been slated to discuss it. Attempts to keep a child away from a parent or even to poison the child's mind against that parent, also occurs especially in divorce cases. Only in a small number of them, but in numbers affecting thousands upon thousands of parents and children.
This last form of family abuse is also rarely mentioned in the family violence literature. And even when it is mentioned, the pretense once again is that only men do it. Given the pervasive biases in society against men as parents, however it is overwhelmingly women who have the power to commit child-access denial and parental alienation. A parallel here may be instructive. Just as men's traditionally much greater economic power has left wives more vulnerable to abuse in the family, WOMEN'S GREATER POWER IN REGARD TO CONTROL OF THE CHILDREN HAS LEFT MEN MUCH MORE VULNERABLE TO THIS KIND OF ABUSE IN DIVORCE. SOONER OR LATER, UNBALANCED POWER WILL BE ABUSED.

Now for one more legitimate concern that has been carried extreme: that involving direct physical abuse of a spouse. In serious cases of physical violence in the family, women are certainly the ones most often harmed, by far. No one speaking from this podium would minimise the serious societal problem of battered wives. Once again, however, it is precisely because the problem is so serious that it can be employed in manipulative ways, from which others are afraid to dissent. MOREOVER, EVEN IN REGARD TO THIS CASE THE STANDARD LITERATURE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS VERY MUCH IN THE WRONG FOR PRETENDING THAT ONLY MEN COMMIT IT AND ONLY WOMEN SUFFER IT.

Perhaps an analogy will help clarify why this is so. It is not uncommon for the extreme right wing in U.S. Politics to point out that blacks commit crimes against whites far more often than whites commit crimes against blacks. (In the case of murder, the ratio is 9 to 1:in the case of rape it is higher than that). Would these statistical figures justify constantly talking as if the only interracial violence were by blacks against whites? Would it justify, for example, government literature with titles like "The War against Whites"? I hope you recoil in horror at the thought. It was not so long ago in the U.S. that a white woman's accusation against a black man was a virtual death warrant. The same principles apply even in less serious cases, like the one at hand. One of these principles is, that of not turning a statistical difference into a sweeping black and white stereotype. An individual male who has been brutally harmed by his wife needs help and deserves sympathy, every bit as much as a woman does. Yet the black and white thinking plainly says that male victims need not apply.

IT IS VERY REVEALING AND VERY TROUBLING THAT MANY OF THE SAME PEOPLE WHO TREAT SPOUSE ABUSE AS AN ALL AND NOTHING SITUATION INSIST ON STRICT GENDER NEUTRALITY IN DESCRIBING CASES WHERE MEN ARE OVERWHELMINGLY THE VICTIMS. On Remembrance Day lately, one hears mostly of "the men and women who gave their lives in war for Canada".

So notice well! I am not suggesting that equal emphasis be put on male and female victims of physical violence toward a spouse. If it is the wife who is harmed in, say, six or eight times as many cases of serious physical violence, that is how much difference in emphasis there should be on the two types of victims.
Notice a second point equally well, however. The plight of the victim is only half of what is significant in a case of abuse; the other half is the reprehensible behaviour of the offender. In discussing this half of the issue, JUSTICE WOULD DEMAND THAT THE EMPHASIS BE RATHER EQUALLY DIVIDED BETWEEN THE SEXES IN THE CASE OF DIRECT PHYSICAL VIOLENCE. I have already hinted at the reason. There is no moral virtue in lacking the ability to do as much harm as someone else. Moral virtue and vice reside in how willing one is to harm others, not in how able one is to do it. So when we're looking at who is repsonsible for violence, rather than at who suffers from it, IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNISE THAT MEN AND WOMEN INTIATE SPOUSAL VIOLENCE ABOUT EQUALLY OFTEN, AND THAT PERHAPS HALF OF SPOUSAL VIOLENCE IS MUTUAL FIGHTING.

Of course, even when discussing the offender rather than the victim, only one sex is mentioned in the standard literature. THE MESSAGE IS THAT OF HALF-TRUTH IS PLAIN: ONLY MEN ARE EVIL ENOUGH TO ATTACK A PARTNER; WOMEN ARE ALWAYS JUST INNOCENT VICTIMS. THAT MESSAGE IS TERRIBLY, TERRIBLY FALSE.

In the same vein, it is important to notice how little of the family-violence literature mentions children. In my local newspaper, generic articles on violence again children are outnumbered by fifty or a hundred to one by those on violence against women. Much of the same is true of the other family violence literature. Where is the House of Commons document titled "The War against Children"? (Senator A. Cools speaks "That is coming") Then child victims are mentioned, they are usually tagged on after women. Why is this? Is it perhaps that children are less vulnerable than women. Certainly not. Are there perhaps fewer child victims of battering than women victims? Certainly not. Given all the other biases in the standard literature, I'm afraid I have a pretty good clue to the reason: the longer you discuss child victims, the harder it is to evade the fact that women commit about half of the serious violence against children.

IN ANY CASE, LUMPING "WOMEN AND CHILDREN" TOGETHER AS THE VICTIM CLASS ONCE AGAIN SENDS THE CLEAR MESSAGE THAT WOMEN ARE NEVER VIOLENT - EVEN TOWARD CHILDREN.

One final point may be made regarding direct physical spousal abuse. It involves a singularly important example of half-truth and distortion. Surveys find that in the large majority of cases of spousal violence, the victim is not appreciably harmed. (As you might expect). This is true for both male and female victims. So when we consider all acts of aggression between spouses - not just those where serious harm is done -the typical male victim and the typical female victim are equally harmed - that is to say, again, not harmed. And yet even when reporting on this general case, THE STANDARD LITERATURE PRETENDS THAT WOMEN ARE VICTIMS AND MEN ARE NOT. EVEN WHEN MEN AND WOMEN ARE EQUAL AS OFFENDERS AND EQUAL AS VICTIMS, WE GET THE TOTALLY SAME ONE-SIDED STORY.
IN ORDER TO GET AWAY WITH ALL THIS DISTORTION, ONCE MORE, THOSE WHO PRODUCE THE LITERATURE MUST SUPPRESS HALF OF THE EVIDENCE.
Now, some who write this material are simply decieved themselves. The distortion is so widespread that many simply do not know the truth. But many others do know the difference. As a philosopher of science, I AM SHOCKED AT THE BEHAVIOUR OF MANY SOCIAL SCIENTISTS AND JOURNALISTS IN THIS REGARD, - though that is another long story for another time. Here is the only explanation I can think of: numbers are high, men and women are about equally victims and equally victimizers. THEY WANT TO PROMOTE THE IDEA OF A WAR AGAINST WOMEN BY MEN. But if they use the statistics covering all degrees of spousal violence, where the numbers are high, men and women are equally victims and equally victimizers. On the other hand, if they use only the statistics for really serious cases, in which women are the victims much more often, the numbers are very low. The solution? Use the high numbers, but evade half of the evidence either by hiding the data you have gathered, or by not gathering that half of the data in the first place. Hence my comparison to the Guy Paul Morin case. The same kind of gross dishonesty engaged in there on an individual level is committed in the publicity on family violence, but on the massive level of group stereotyping.
The Consequences
Gross dishonesty cannot but create gross injustice. If the truth in the Guy Paul Morin case had not come out, he would be rotting in jail for a crime he did not commit. AND GROSS DISHONESTY ABOUT ENTIRE CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE CANNOT BUT CREATE MASSIVE INJUSTICE. If Canadians know anything about this subject, they know that the case of Donald Marshall was not unique. The attitude "you belong to the guilty group, therefore you are guilty" is one of the greatest sources of injustice in this society. THE REASON I AM HERE TODAY IS THAT THE LIE CAMPAIGN AGAINST MEN AS A GROUP IS CURRENTLY A MASSIVE SOURCE OF SERIOUS INJUSTICE IN CANADA.

Since the stereotype says that only men do evil things, whenever a woman accuses a man, he is presumed guilty, unless he proves himself innocent. Whenever it is her word against his word, he must be the one who is lying. Even those not personally taken in by the stereotype can still be intimidated by it, as already noted.
EVERY JUDGE ADJUDICATING BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN KNOWS THAT IF THE DECISION GOES AGAINST THE WOMAN, THERE MAY BE SCREAMS IN THE PRESS AND ON THE STREETS; IF THE DECISION GOES AGAINST THE MAN, ALL WILL BE SERENE. THE SAME PRESSURE, IN DIFFERENT FORMS, IS ON POLICE, SOCIAL WORKERS AND AUTHORITIES AT EVERY LEVEL.

A lot of men in this room have experienced this travesty of justice first hand. I have personal knowledge of scores of such injustices involving the wrongful accusations attended to earlier. IN FACT, THE STEROTYPE THAT ONLY MEN DO EVIL THINGS IN THE FAMILY IS A VIRTUAL INVITATION TO WRONGFUL ACCUSATIONS BY WOMEN IN THE FIRST PLACE, AS WELL AS A POWERFUL SOURCE OF PRESSURE TO BELIEVE WRONGFUL ACCUSATIONS WHEN IT OCCURS.

In the instance of those who don't care about pain as long as it's male pain, let me point out that it is inevitably shared by females in their lives. Those who wished me Godspeed in coming to this forum in Toronto were 3 women whose grandchildren's lives had been smashed by the stereotypes. They had been smashed because these women's sons were helpless to protect their children against abusive mothers. They were helpless because police and social workers and judges refused to believe a woman could be the guilty one, in spite of clear and powerful evidence, until after it was too late.

A woman that I cannot name wrote to me " my son committed suicide in 1992 after being run over by a car driven by his spouse. He was charged, not her, and taken to a jail rather than the hospital for examination and treatment". After years of abuse from his spouse he told me he would kill himself rather than go to jail for what she did". We need to gather and document these personal horror stories, and let the public and the Government of Canada know the horror that is happening, by the denial and suppression of the facts, and of the serious social problem that has been created.


This File Courtesy ofRational Anarchist BBS(905) 646-8229ClasLibNet 350:2/100

Created: Monday, February 12, 1996, 18:05 Last Updated: Monday, February 14, 1998, 18:05 Return to the Rational Anarchist Men's Issues Page

http://www.rational.ca/rational/anarchist/ferrel.htm

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

Christmas card and a copper to counter domestic violence

Manukau homes with a history of domestic violence will receive a Christmas card and a visit from police in a bid to prevent abuse during the festive season.
Operation Merry Family Christmas will target up to 125 households throughout Otara, Otahuhu, Mangere, Papatoetoe, Howick and Pakuranga that police have been called to in the past year.
Police say analysis of priority one jobs in Counties Manukau’s east and western areas reveals almost half the workload is attributed to domestic violence.
Western area Senior Sergeant Cornelius Kluessein and Eastern Senior Sergeant Lynne Mathieson say the first phase of the operation will involve a bulk mailout to the identified families.
“The letter will tell them that we care they have been repeat victims. We want them to know we’ll be keeping a close watch to make sure the entire household has a great Christmas without the threat of domestic violence spoiling the season, especially for the kids,” says Mr Kluessein.

Holiday pressures raise violence risk

As investigations continue into three separate homicides, anti-violence groups are warning people to be more careful around the holiday period.
The National Network for Stopping Violence Services says the holiday period is a difficult time and people should ask for help if they need it.
Network manager Brian Gardner says there are steps which can be taken to reduce the risks of domestic violence.
He says people should think about budgeting and preparing for situations where there are family pressures and alcohol.
Mr Gardner says the next three months are a dangerous time for some couples as holiday pressures are sometimes like throwing a log on the fire.

At-risk youth suicide rate halved

Children involved with Child, Youth and Family (CYF) are 15 times more likely to commit suicide than other New Zealand children, according to studies.
Between 1994 and 1999 almost half of the 129 children under the age of 17 who killed themselves were in contact with CYF. But the new programme changed all that.
Towards Well-Being, launched in 2002 with the Wellington School of Medicine, has reduced the number of suicides among CYF youths from 15 in the two years before the programme started, to just six in the two years since it began.
And while the number of admissions to hospital for “deliberate self-harm” has increased by 25 per cent for non-CYF young people since 2002, it has stayed the same among CYF young people.
CYF chief social worker Craig Smith said the results are encouraging.

Redressing The Balance: The Men's Manifesto

Tuesday, 14 December 2004, 9:56 am
Press Release: Men's Coalition

Redressing The Balance: The Men's Manifesto

The social landscape of New Zealand will be need to be changed dramatically if men are to have a “fair go” in New Zealand society, according to James Nicolle, Coordinator of the Men's Coalition.
Mr. Nicolle was commenting on the release today of the Executive Summary of the MENZTABLE REPORT; a manifesto for men's rights.
"Men in New Zealand are increasingly marginalised and persecuted by powerful trends in the socio-political agenda", he said.
”Men have reached this conclusion because of the raw deal we are getting in the Family Court, the Child Support system, social development, health and education.”
“Our political and social systems have progressively devalued the place of men in New Zealand today.”
“It is time for Men to reassert what is valuable to us and reclaim our right to be men,” he said.
The MENZTABLE REPORT has come from a meeting of representatives of men's organisations held at Taupo in July.
The product of this meeting, the Men's Coalition of New Zealand, is coordinating the preparation and release of the Report.
Mr. Nicolle said the body of the Report would be released in sections during 2005 to highlight men's concerns throughout the election year.
“We see this as a seminal document which provides the vision and agenda of real men seeking to redress the balance and even out the scales.” Concluded Nicolle.

Saturday, November 27, 2004

Call for Women’s Refuge Enquiry

Women’s Refuge, thirty years established in New Zealand, is widely assumed to be universally respected, and to be the only such agency offering help, counselling and accommodation to victims of family violence. In N.Z. it holds an annual Appeal Week every June, complete with much innovative, and even at times highly questionable, media coverage and celebrity support.
Yet all is far from being what it seems with Women’s Refuge, and many have had deep concerns about its operation and huge amounts of public funding, and even long before this most recent call to have it greatly boosted.
Read this recent article by Barbara Faithfull: Public Enquiry Overdue: Let’s Start With Women’s Refuge

1 in 3 women beaten by partner

One in three women will face violence from their partners in their lifetime, and the experience will cause long-term health problems, a study has found.
The University of Auckland study suggests New Zealand has a higher domestic violence rate than the United States of America or Australia.
A second study, by Auckland University of Technology (AUT) researchers, published yesterday found that 44 per cent of women interviewed at an Auckland emergency ward had suffered partner violence in their lives, and one in five had been victims of partner violence in the past year. The statistics have prompted fresh pleas for early intervention by doctors.
The first study involved 2855 women aged 18 to 64 in Auckland and Waikato. It found 15 per cent of women had suffered physical abuse from someone they are not in a relationship with, while 10 per cent will face sexual violence from a man they are not involved with.
“We teach women to fear walking into dark alleys and (violence) by strangers, but the biggest risk for women is violence from their partners,” said researcher Dr Janet Fanslow.
“These are very worrying statistics. As men we should be ashamed,” said Brian Gardner, national manager of the National Network of Stopping Violence Services.
“As a man in New Zealand I feel sad and ashamed that so many men are beating, abusing and killing their partners. That’s not how to support and care for those close to us.”
Christchurch Women’s Refuge manager Annette Gillespie said … it was important to remember that physical abuse also included things such as pinching, restraining, pulling and flicking. “And these will be surrounded by a whole lot of other abusive tactics.”

Study confirms family violence is common in New Zealand

National News Release 9:01am 26 November 2004
Police have welcomed the findings of Auckland University’s research ‘Violence against women in New Zealand: prevalence and health consequences, says Inspector Rob Veale, Violence Reduction Manager.
“The report concludes violence is a common experience in the lives of women, and women are more at risk of experiencing violence from their partners than from other perpetrators,” he says.
Mr Veale said the report released today highlights concerns not just for police but for all communities in New Zealand.
“The first step in reducing violence in homes begins with a change of mind. Domestic violence survives when there is silence – when people believe that it’s private and personal, that it’s not their business.”
Mr Veale says police have always been on the front line when it comes to dealing with family violence. Police have a pro-arrest approach to family violence whenever they find evidence of an offence. “We are continuing to improve our understanding and response to family violence. Police have a number of initiatives in place, including training and improved methods of gathering evidence and identifying risk indicators, which helps Police assess the safety of people who may have been affected by the violence they may have experienced or witnessed.
“Police are committed to reducing family violence and we need the community alongside us to make it happen,” says Mr Veale.
Ends

Domestic abuse study ‘misleading’

A study which found that one third of women are physically or sexually abused by their partners is part of a misleading campaign, a men’s umbrella group representative says.
“The ongoing campaign seems to deny the existence of domestic violence of women against men,” Christchurch Men and Fathers’ Network facilitator, Don Rowlands, said.
University of Canterbury associate sociology professor Greg Newbold said the report should have also addressed violence against male partners.
“It’s not enough to say, yes, he assaulted me. Reports from New Zealand show that women commit low-level assaults more frequently.”
Profile given to domestic violence by the study could be dangerous. “Especially like this when men are not included. It gives rise to uninformed opinions.”
Spokeswoman for the National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges, Janet Lake, did not accept that domestic violence against men was as serious as that for women.
Bryce Hawkins, of support and personal development group MensTrust, said that anecdotally he was aware of a high incidence of women abusing men in Christchurch.
“A lot of this research comes out as if men are the big monsters.”
Auckland University senior lecturer in general practice and primary health care, Dr Felicity Goodyear (sic; should be Goodyear-Smith), said doctors should keep in mind that male patients might be victims of domestic abuse. “It can have a huge psychological effect on male patients.”
Women’s Refuge spokeswoman Cheryl Hann says the study proves what they already suspected.
Ms Hann says it is sad the statistics have been confirmed but it is a good wake-up call.

Saturday, November 20, 2004

Pacific Island women and domestic violence

Intimate Partner Violence within a cohort of Pacific mothers living in New Zealand

Reducing violence by Pacific peoples has been identified by Pacific communities and government agencies as an important issue. However, there is little research into the nature of intimate partner relationships among Pacific families living in New Zealand.

This study reports the 12-month estimated prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced by a cohort of Pacific mothers living in New Zealand. The Conflict Tactics Scale was completed by 1,095 women who had given birth in the past 12 months, and who were married or living with a partner as married.

The 12-month prevalence of “victimization” through verbal aggression was 77%, 21% for “minor” physical violence, and 11% for “severe” physical violence.

The 12-month prevalence of “perpetration” of verbal aggression against a partner was 90%, 35% for “minor” physical violence, and 19% for “severe” violence towards their partner.

Friday, November 12, 2004

Family court judges won't edit media reports - top judge

11 November 2004

Principal Family Court Judge Peter Boshier has moved to allay fears held by journalists that his judges will misuse their power to vet media stories.

Last month the Government announced that Family Court proceedings would be opened to the public and media with tight restrictions in place.
One proposed restriction strongly opposed by journalists was the power for judges to demand to see stories before publication.

Commonwealth Press Union (CPU) New Zealand chairman Gavin Ellis said "the suggestion that journalists should give up their copy to judges for vetting is totally unacceptable.
"It casts judges in the role of editor. That is unacceptable, it is a form of censorship."

Judge Boshier has written to Mr Ellis over those concerns.
"There has been a view expressed by media that judges are to be given the power to vet or censor journalists' copy in reporting on Family Court proceedings," he wrote.

"This is a misapprehension of what is proposed."
Judge Boshier said it was proposed that journalists would be able to report proceedings as of right, subject to the exclusion of details identifying parties or children.
It was also proposed that in some circumstances the media could apply for leave to publish some of those details.

That was likely to occur in cases in which the identity of the parties would be of significant public interest, he said.

"However, it is also likely that when children are involved the court will make orders protecting their privacy," he said.

"In those circumstances the judge would want to be able to ascertain that the orders have been complied with before publication - and for no other reason.
"This is to ensure that the children's rights have been protected - if such details are published then privacy is lost and cannot be regained.

"It may also assist the media in avoiding a contempt through breaching the orders."
"I do not see the proposed legislation as an attempt to muzzle the media or prevent them from doing their job," Judge Boshier said.

"The judges want no say in the content of media reports but only the opportunity to ascertain that any orders made with regard to non-publication of certain details are complied with."
The Government said the changes were designed to improve transparency without compromising proceedings.

Media and others could attend hearings with the judge's permission, while involved parties could ask for outsiders to be excluded.
Judges could direct that draft news reports be submitted to the court to check they complied with court directions.

Any breach of those directions would mean individuals were liable of three months' imprisonment or a $2000 fine and organisations up to $10,000 in fines.
Associate Justice Minister David Benson-Pope said broader publication would give a clearer picture of the court, but "strict guidelines" would be put in place.

Saturday, November 06, 2004

Father on run for days with daughter

Father on run for days with daughter
06.11.2004
By LOUISA CLEAVE

Lapana Seve had been on the run with his 4-year-old daughter for three days before she was found murdered in the back seat of his car beside Auckland's Northwestern Motorway.
Mr Seve, 45, picked up daughter Storm Apera-Seve from his estranged wife's Grey Lynn home on Friday and was supposed to take her back on Sunday night.
Storm was due at pre-school on Monday morning and her mother desperately tried to contact Mr Seve.
She went several times to his home and left notes for him.
The little girl was found dead in the back seat of her father's car on Wednesday afternoon.
Mr Seve abandoned the car and died when he stepped in front of a truck in heavy rush-hour traffic on the Northwestern.
Police are treating Storm's death as a homicide, but are not looking for anyone else in connection with the killing.
It emerged yesterday that Mr Seve had not returned Storm after weekend visits on other occasions.
Mr Seve had weekend custody of his daughter, but is believed to have wanted full custody.
"He's been quite wrapped up in his daughter, quite obsessed with his daughter ... wanting her with him all the time," said Detective Sergeant Megan Goldie.
Storm's mother did not contact police when he failed to return the preschooler.
"She did not have concerns for the child's welfare, as such," said Ms Goldie, "more that she wanted her back. She was supposed to be at pre-school on Monday."
John McKeown, a friend of Mr Seve for 15 years, said Storm's parents split about a year ago and a problem had developed over custody.
"I gather he wanted to look after her and his parents were talking about helping him look after her," he said.
Police have examined an area of the Avondale Racecourse where Mr Seve and Storm are thought to have slept rough in his car.
Ms Goldie said Mr Seve was seen there on Wednesday and in the days before his death on the motorway.
Storm was seen with him earlier in the week, but was not seen on Wednesday, said Ms Goldie.
Tests are being carried out on patches in the parking area which may be blood stains.
Police cannot yet say when Storm died and have not revealed the cause of death, although it is understood she had stab wounds.
A forensic examination of Mr Seve's vehicle has been completed.
Ms Goldie said police were not looking for a weapon. "We think we have what we need in the car."
Members of the Richmond Rovers Rugby League Club last night gathered in Grey Lynn to remember Mr Seve, a coach, referee and player they knew by the nickname "Squash".
Friends said Mr Seve was devastated by the death of his close friend Afi Ah Kuoi from cancer last May.
Mr Ah Kuoi died two years after losing his wife, and Mr Seve was close to the couple.
"He was very close with the family, then when this custody thing came up, maybe it was the final straw for him and he just cracked," Mr McKeown said.
George Apelu-Tumaseve, who had known Mr Seve for 30 years, told 3News last night that any custody battle "would have tipped him over the edge, if it happened that he'd lost custody of Storm, knowing how close he was to Storm ... She was the apple of his eye".

Fathers must ask for help

A plea for fathers to ask for help.

The call comes as police investigate an apparent murder-suicide in Auckland.
Forty-five-year-old Lapana Seve died after being hit by a truck on the northwestern motorway on Wednesday afternoon.
His four-year-old daughter Storm Apera-Seve was found dead in his car.
Union of Fathers national president Jim Bagnall says fathers need to know there is help out there.
He says they should not vent their frustrations with the system by taking drastic action.
Jim Bagnall believes the system is skewed towards mothers, but says the Union of Fathers can offer support and advice.

Govt slammed for refusing DNA paternity tests

Friday, 5 November 2004, 5:10 pmPress Release:
United Future NZ Party
5 November 2004

United Future MP Gordon Copeland today expressed his frustration and disappointment at the government’s steadfast refusal to use DNA-testing to prove paternity.
During debate in Parliament on the Care of Children Bill, Mr Copeland outlined a real-life case to the House.
“A young couple became the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl. Not only the mother and the father but also the maternal and paternal grandparents bonded with the child. She became the apple of their eye.
“However the story did not have a happy ending. A couple of years later, for whatever reason, the mother showed the father the door and wanted nothing more to do with him.
“The distraught father, wanting to maintain long-term contact with his daughter, sought access rights. The mother blocked this by suddenly, for the first time, claiming that he was not the little girl’s dad .
“This came as a huge shock, both to the father himself and to the paternal grandparents. They were grief-stricken at being cut off from all further contact with the child.
“More than three years later and in spite of a string of lawyers, the paternity or otherwise of the young man concerned has not been established because a DNA test involving the little girl can only be done with the consent of her mother.
- 1 -“This is an unmitigated tragedy for the grieving father and the grandparents and even more so, in time, for the child who may never get to find out who her real father actually is.
“Yet none of this need happen. A simple Family Court-ordered DNA test would establish paternity once and for all.
“We have a clear-cut means of establishing the truth in these kind of situations, but the government refuses steadfastly with incomprehensible reasons to go there. In doing so they fail the families of New Zealand.
“We have more than 19,000 birth certificates involving more than 30,000 children where the father’s name is not recorded and yet we have a scientific means at hand to clearly establish paternity.
“The particular instance I am describing represents the tip of an enormous iceberg, a systemic problem which becomes bigger by the day.
“Since I entered Parliament in 2002, together with my colleagues in United Future, we have consistently urged the government to follow the science so that truth replaces confusion, suspicion, dishonesty and the financial impropriety which flows from the current system, but the government continues to stonewall.
“It’s just not good enough,” said Mr Copeland.

Govt misses chance to help children of divorce

Press Release: United Future NZ Party
Friday, 5 November, 2004

Turner: Govt misses chance to help children of divorce

The Government has missed a huge opportunity to help children whose parents are divorcing by failing to take note of innovative mediation approaches overseas, most notably recent Australian reforms, United Future's Judy Turner said today.
"They have also failed to consider Law Society recommendations on mediation and the startling results of a North Shore Family Court pilot scheme, where parents in custody disputes have to attend two parent education sessions before getting to court.
Mrs Turner, who has sponsored a Member's Bill backing just such a scheme, was critical of the Government's failure in debate on the Care of Children Bill in Parliament this morning.
"Four hours is not a lot for parents to give to focus on the impact on their children at a time when they often get so wrapped up in what is happening to themselves.
"It is about letting them know what their children face in the middle of a family storm. Sometimes that gets lost, even for otherwise good and well-meaning parents."
Mrs Turner, United Future's family affairs spokeswoman, said she believed that most parents would see this move as positive. Some 97 percent of those who have been through the North Shore Children in the Middle pilot scheme have since stated that it should be mandatory.
"In the end, parents love their kids and a few hours of mediation and education can make a huge difference," she said.
"The fact is that by the time a couple are standing before a Family Court judge, their children have already been damaged and they have proved that can't negotiate a healthy resolution.
"Anything that helps short-circuit this by encouraging sensible, non-legal alternatives can only benefit both parents and children," she said.

Moment Of Truth For Shared-Parenting

Press Release: ACT New Zealand
Moment Of Truth For Shared-Parenting
Friday 5 Nov 2004
Dr Muriel Newman - Press Releases - Social Welfare

ACT New Zealand Deputy Leader and Social Welfare Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman today accused Labour, United Future, New Zealand First and the Greens of giving Kiwi fathers false hope about their support for Shared-Parenting.
"Last night, Parliament had an opportunity to change the law, to help fathers, grandparents and children throughout New Zealand who have disadvantaged by our Family Law system - but these Parties threw it away," Dr Newman said.
"I urged the House to support my amendments to introduce Shared-Parenting as a rebuttable presumption into the Care of Children Bill. My amendment introduced two shared parenting concepts:
· `shared parenting means joint day-to-day care of a child, arranged in such a way that the best interests of the child is paramount, but that the starting point is the equality of parental responsibility and rights'
· `rebuttable shared parenting as a default position for the starting point of day-to-day care determinations is based on the principle that just as two parents are equal in their parenting responsibilities and rights before a relationship breakdown, so too they should be regarded as equal afterwards, unless it can be proved that one of the parents in unfit'.
"Sadly, New Zealand First, the Greens, United Future and Labour voted the amendments down. In fact, the only other Party to support Shared-Parenting was National.
"New Zealanders who believe that Shared-Parenting should be introduced as a core principle of Family Law should realise that Shared-Parenting will only become a reality when ACT and National are in Government.
"All hope of persuading other Parties to stand up for the rights of fathers and children, by supporting Shared-Parenting, has been shown to be false," Dr Newman said.

Friday, November 05, 2004


Bad Parenting Posted by Hello

Sunday, October 31, 2004

New option for custody possible

A pilot programme for parents involved in custody disputes is being launched, to allow families to appear before a mediator, rather than a judge.

The $1.5m trial will take place on Auckland's North Shore from February, for parents involved in custody, access and guardianship cases.

The Minister for Courts, Rick Barker, says at the moment parents who can't agree on custody arrangements have to appear before a Family Court judge. He says under the new system, parents will see a mediator, who will make a recommendation to the court on custody arrangements for the children.

Barker says this will speed up the process, and will be a less scary experience for children.

Anger over wife-beater home-detention ruling

Concerns for the safety of a woman and her children were raised last night after a Christchurch judge allowed a convicted wife-beater to apply for home detention.

Eru Morete, 22, was sentenced to one year behind bars after being found guilty of assaulting his pregnant girlfriend, but after a ruling on Thursday he could serve part of his sentence at home.

The move has angered domestic violence support groups who say judges and parole boards will have blood on their hands if home detention prisoners reoffend.

The man is alleged to have knocked the 36-week pregnant woman to the ground and threatened her with a knife, causing her to go into premature labour.

He then refused to telephone for an ambulance, although she screamed for help.

Brian Gardner, the national manager of the National Network of Stopping Violence Services, said the man should never have been allowed to apply for home detention.

"If he gets home detention his partner will effectively be his jailer," he said.

"Courts are abdicating their responsibility for care and protection by sending an abusive man back to the house with his victims."

Home detention orders are only served with the consent of the woman involved, but Sheryl Hann, the policy research adviser of the National Collective of Independent Women's Refuges, said victims might agree because they were fearful of retaliation.

"Victims feel tremendous guilt after their partner has been arrested and convicted," she said.

"The reality of the violence fades and they feel hopeful that things will be different but this is not borne by statistics. We know that when there is a serious assault like this there has usually been a history of abuse and it's not likely to change without intense intervention.

"Judges need to realise that domestic violence is a life and death situation and that home detention should never be allowed under any circumstances."

Applications are assessed by parole boards and Hann said campaign groups lobbied the Government this year to ban domestic violence offenders requesting home detention.

Pilot scheme should be more successful

There are hopes a pilot scheme for resolving child custody issues will be more successful than the current system.

Early next year families on Auckland’s North Shore will be given the option of accepting mediation not led by a judge.

Courts Minister Rick Barker says currently families referred to mediation can wait weeks or even months to be appointed a Family Court judge.

He says this way, properly trained mediators can speed up the process and help families find their own solutions.

Family Court Scheme Could Be Success

31/10/2004 10:53 AM
NewstalkZB


The Union of Fathers believes a new Family Court pilot scheme will be a huge success, if it is well resourced.

A non judge-led mediation service is being trialled to resolve custody and access issues on Auckland's North Shore.

Union of Fathers spokesman Jim Bagnall says it is critical highly skilled mediators are used, so parents understand what is best for their children.

Mr Bagnall says interest in the pilot is huge because New Zealanders want change in the Family Court.

Friday, October 29, 2004

Woman cries rape for revenge on abuse

A Rotorua woman lied to police about being raped and kidnapped by her partner to get revenge on him for seriously assaulting her, the Rotorua District Court was told.
The 55-year-old, who has interim name suppression, pleaded guilty to a charge of fabricating evidence and will be sentenced in December.
The woman alleged her partner held her captive at a Rotorua house this year before taking her to a beach where she was assaulted, raped and violated.
The man was committed to trial after a depositions hearing but the woman later signed an affidavit saying the rape and kidnapping allegations were false.

Wipe my tax debts or I'll shoot

A Westport man who threatened to shoot people unless his tax debt was wiped was jailed for two years when he appeared in the Westport District Court.
Wayne William Anderson, 45, was sentenced to two years in jail for drink-driving, possessing a rifle and ammunition and holding a firearm without a licence.
On July 22, Anderson was phoning Inland Revenue when he threatened to go out and start shooting people within 30 minutes if his debts were not cleared.
Police found Anderson 50 minutes later with a loaded rifle, 72 rounds of ammunition and bottles of spirits in his car.
His lawyer, Doug Taffs, said Anderson's offending followed the tragic death of his son. His stress was exacerbated by the tax department trying to recover child support debt.

Protest at Counsel for Child Workshop

The New Zealand Law Society’s October 2004 Advanced Counsel for Child Workshop at Waipuna Lodge in Auckland was the target of a Union of Fathers protest last Monday.
Men have long complained that counsels for child often act as a second lawyer for the mother, and typically fail to protect the father/child relationship. Union of Fathers members say that the generous fees paid to lawyers who help remove fathers from families would be better utilised in mediation, conflict resolution and communication courses, and other interventions which aim to allow children continuing contact with both their parents following a relationship break-up.
One reporter from a local paper turned up to cover the protest, but as none of the superheros present were prepared to undertake dramatic or disruptive actions, television reporters were not interested. Fortunately, menz.org.nz has obtained video footage of the event for your entertainment:
Download Counsel for Child protest video here [486KB .wmv]

Traditional Kiwi Male Threatened

Well away from pig hunting and jugs of beer, in the halls of Waikato University, psychology lecturer Dr Darrin Hodgetts says for the last couple of decades men have been told that there’s something wrong with expressing the sort of manly traits idealised by brewery and ute adverts…
A couple of decades of feminism has negatively influenced the thinking of universities and the public sector towards the traditional Kiwi male, Hodgetts says.
He has published research on women’s health, but has also studied post-feminist theory and says the academic view of masculinity has been skewed too far to the negative.
Women’s studies academics at Auckland University have sensed anti-feminist attitudes in his research topic, and challenged him to a debate. The glint in his eye indicates he’s looking forward to it.
It shouldn’t be sacrilegious to question why there isn’t more male gender research being done, he says, particularly in the field of men’s health.

Worried father can’t find his 15-month-old son

Wiping away tears, Hamilton man Wayne Pruden talks about how he went to pick up his 15-month old son yesterday and came home without him.
He should have had his 15-month-old son returned to him after a four-week holiday in Vietnam.
But Mr Pruden, 42, has no idea where his son is, though it is believed he is back in Hamilton.
The toddler left a month ago with his Vietnamese mother and was to have returned to New Zealand last week.
The boy’s passport has since been surrendered to Hamilton District Court in accordance with a Family Court ruling and Mr Pruden expected to see his son yesterday as part of a shared custody agreement.
But Mr Pruden – who hid his son in a Hamilton motel in a bid to prevent him from leaving New Zealand last month – waited in vain at the usual meeting place in the city and wonders whether his son is in New Zealand at all.

Are Dads Getting A Fair Go?

First it was Wayne Pruden who kidnapped his son, now another father has taken the law into his own hands abducting his son, so is the Family Court giving fathers a fair go, or are some Dads out of control?
Streaming video of Holmes interviewing Jim Bagnal from Union of Fathers

Toddler safe after police drama

A 20-year-old man who allegedly snatched his two-year-old son from his former partner in the Far North yesterday will appear in the Kaikohe District Court today.
Up to 50 police, including the armed offenders squad, were involved in the operation from about 7.30am.
The boy and his mother were the subject of a protection order.
A hunting rifle was in the vehicle but Mr Swann said his understanding was that the firearm was not carried during the alleged abduction.
After the kidnap, the man eventually made his way to Teal Bay where he parked his dark green 1997 Ford Falcon station wagon under a pohutukawa tree at a reserve at the end of the beach, near an estuary.