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Men’s Business

By Richard O’Brien

Yesterday was White Ribbon Day, a national day to stop men’s violence against women. Courtesy of the ABS and White Ribbon, here are some statistics:

  • 76 women have been killed this year as a result of intimate partner violence, 1.6 deaths per week
  • About two-thirds of physical assaults against women are committed in the home
  • One in three women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15
  • One in five women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15
  • One in eight women have been sexually abused before the age of 15
  • Nearly three-quarters of physical assaults on women are perpetrated by a current or previous male partner, male family member or friend
  • More than 3 in 5 women who experience physical assault and 4 in 5 women who experience sexual assault do not report it to police
  • One in five women experience harassment in the workplace
  • One in five women over 18 has been stalked during her lifetime
  • Intimate partner violence is the leading cause of death, disability and ill-health in Australian women aged 15-44

And for the record:

  • 4% of assaults on men have been perpetrated by a female current or former partner
  • 74% of physical assaults on men have been carried out by male strangers

A 2013 World Health Organization report concluded that intimate partner violence is the most common type of violence against women, affecting 30% of women worldwide. This represents one of the worst human rights crises on the planet.

Last month Malcolm Turnbull announced a $100 million domestic and family violence package, which is great, until you realise that $300 million has been cut from front line services by this government over the last two years. In New South Wales, where 12,561 assaults on women were reported to police last year (34 a day), funding cuts have led to a severe shortage of women’s refuges and support services.

It’s not just the government who are letting women down. Research shows that the two biggest factors in reducing violence against women are social policy initiatives addressing gender inequity and building greater equality and respect between men and women. Yet the same research shows that there has been no discernible change in these statistics in the last decade.

It isn’t just about individual men respecting women and treating them as true equals, it’s about being a society where all men do. It’s well past time we started to do that.

 

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25 comments

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  1. bobrafto

    Until such time that the brain can be harnessed the ‘animal’ in human will keep on rearing its ugly head.

  2. Wally

    “About two-thirds of physical assaults against women are committed in the home”
    “4% of assaults on men have been perpetrated by a female current or former partner”

    Pleased to see figures for both sexes included in this very good article.

    Education in the formative years is the only way to change what happens behind closed doors and the monkey see monkey do scenario cannot be overlooked. If woman allow domestic violence to continue they are giving kids a false indication of what is acceptable behaviour.

  3. donwreford

    When rats are over crowded in a confined space they become aggressive? are men being squeezed by the confines of rules and regulations or and economic oppression, we know much about the women who having been violated? we need to hear what men are about? are they born as a violent individual? do they become violent? why and what triggers this state of mind? more investigation needs to worked at to understand this phenomena?

  4. Matters Not

    Sarah Ferguson’s ‘piece’ (over two nights) is to be commended. And it will win all sorts of accolades as it should.

    The constant refrain was about the concepts of ‘power’ and ‘control’ and how it explains ‘all’. Useful as those concepts maybe, she never analysed or defined same. She relied on ‘common sense’ understandings. A big mistake.

    An unanalysed ‘power’ and ‘control’ conceptual framework can be used to ‘explain’ so much more than ‘domestic violence.’. Indeed it can be used to explain almost any significant event that involves today’s ‘reality’ which includes the ‘economic’, the ‘social’ and the like.

    I was disappointed. But then it was the ABC. Then again, the MSM’s effort would’ve been much worse.

  5. Matters Not

    ‘power’ and ‘control’ conceptual framework can be used to ‘explain’ so much more than ‘domestic violence.’

    But it goes further than that. That framework can be (and was) used to recognise and collect facts and then give meaning to same.

    While ‘inevitable’, a recognition would be ‘educative’.

  6. Carol Taylor

    Wally and “if women allow domestic violence to continue..” and how would you suggest that they stop it? An alternative to putting up and shutting up being no where to live for yourself and your children, to risk even greater harm if you attempt to leave and having no one even interested in your story.

    Recently I am relieved to note that some attention is being paid to previous responses which have included: the men (police and perpetrator) joking and laughing following an emergency call to the house, police believing the lies of how the woman hurt herself (she was drunk at the time) and being told that there is room at a refuge for one but not three children therefore being given the option of having to leave two of the kids behind where they may or may not be bashed themselves.

    Step 1 “if women allow domestic violence to continue..” is giving them somewhere to escape to and as has been noted in this article there have been massive cutbacks by the LNP government giving women no choices. I call the government and indeed the opposition (who sat by and said nothing) hypocrites if they pretend that they care about domestic violence. Their actions say otherwise.

  7. bobrafto

    One question has to be asked and that is “How do you stop folks from losing it?”

    There are a lot of triggers that leads to DV, perhaps all those triggers should be documented and accompanied by possible resolutions and graphic photos and to be printed and published and made compulsory reading to all newly weds and to men in particular. So if they do find themselves in a possible DV situation, they might remember the solutions. Hopeful thinking, I know.

    This may not stop DV but it could lead to incidence reduction.

  8. Yanta

    Sadly the violence against man is grossly understated.

    This campaign is all wrong.

    “Stop the violence against women”.

    Strike the last two words.

    Violence of any sort, to or by any gender is wrong.

    There is so much social pressure on men, so much stress and men are treated exceptionally bad. Whilst I don’t condone violence, it’s easy to see why people just lose the plot at times.

  9. Wally

    Carol Taylor

    My mother managed to leave my father with 2 kids back in the early 1970’s and there were no support networks or safe houses. I understand from first hand experience how difficult it is and the government must supply the services needed for woman to have the choice but sadly many woman never take the first step and as a society we wonder why we cannot break the cycle. – Monkey see monkey do!

    If kids see dad belt mum or the aftermath the boys think it is OK to hit woman and the girls think it is normal because mum had to endure that so will I. Reports on child molesters indicate that many paedophiles were molested early in life themselves so they continue the cycle.

    There are numerous stories of authorities intervening in domestic violence and the result is both sides of the dispute turning against them. I have also seen a shortage of emergency housing caused by woman crying wolf, wasting resources that are desperately needed by woman in dire need of refuge. It is an extremely complex issue but woman with children who take no action do themselves and society as a whole a massive injustice. As stated previously the government needs to act so more woman can make the right (hard) decision because I have never met a male who has hit a female partner ever change, whenever the trigger occurs they go back to old habits.

  10. Wally

    I found this article to be an interesting read this evening, albeit very slowly Australia’s attitude toward domestic violence is changing. The AFL have stepped up and stopped Nick Stevens from becoming the coach of Red Cliffs football club, as well as stopping the perpetrator of domestic violence from holding a position of influence it sends a strong message to other men. People need to voice their approval of this action being taken so more clubs, government departments, associations and individuals with influence will feel they have public support when they are in a position to take similar action. http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/2015/12/01/18/34/afl-victoria-blocks-stevens-from-coaching

  11. Michael Taylor

    Wally, that’s good to hear.

  12. bobrafto

    Good as time as any I suppose to dump what I what I wanted to say for awhile now.

    I would imagine if a woman rang a women’s help line she would be answered to by another female.

    One would also expect that when a man rang a man’s help line he would be answered to by another male.

    But No.

    A few years ago among other first things in my life that I did was to ring the Man’s help line and was answered to by a woman and I did find it a bit odd.

    It was to do with a divorce and instead of having a sympathetic ear she started berating me that I was like all the others, a pussy. Great lot of help she was but that’s job equality for you.
    ,
    Also in that period I was playing sort of cat and mouse games on a weekly basis with the politicians and the cops, it got to a stage where I could defame the cops and the politicians with offensive Photoshop images and they wouldn’t arrest me no matter how hard I tried. I was defaming Bligh down to Newman and I thought I had better see a psychologist not because I needed to, I already knew I was mad, mad as Hell to be exact, but to negate a possibility that someone might issue a section 8 on me.

    So there I was in a small office with a woman psychologist and for the first 5 minutes into the story of my ordeal and the psychologist interrupted, she identified with my story of bureaucratic criminal abuse and it was like a dam that had its walls breached as the psychologist went on for over half an hour recounting non stop the abuse she was subjected to. We were definitely seated in the wrong chairs.

  13. Wally

    bobrafto

    I don’t think men taking marriage advice from other men in similar situations is a good thing, have a look at the regulars in most pubs and you will find most of them have consoled each other for decades. None of them have got over their marriage breakdown or moved on, they regularly go to the same pub/s to drown their sorrows. Have been there myself, to move on you need to set goals, mix with people who have no hang-ups and to make any time with kids about them not a debrief mission.

  14. diannaart

    bobrafto

    When I was a total raving loony, I found not everyone was the ideal person to help – male or female. I finally found a really good psychiatrist – although he has since retired, the non-judgemental support he gave still helps me today.

    …and, yes, surprise, surprise there are women everywhere – there may a a female counsellor who can help you or there may be a male. However, continuing to apportion blame to a gender because a particular individual did not help YOU….. maybe you could think about that a little; you know how people will often paint an entire group because of the behaviour of individuals?

    PS

    Wally’s advice about the reinforcing attitude to be found in pubs? Spot on.

  15. bobrafto

    Diannaart
    However, continuing to apportion blame to a gender because a particular individual did not help YOU

    You are wrong in your assumption. And what’s with the ‘continuing’ bit?

    I have had professional encounters with lots of women whether they be dentists, doctors and so forth and obviously I had faith in their ability. I have no problems with the female sex, everything around me was female, the wife, 3 daughters, 2 female cats and a couple of bantam hens.

    Regardless of gender there are people who know how to handle a job and then you have your boofheads (just cast your eyes around the current parliament) and the lady on the helpline was a boofhead. And as for the psychologist I felt real good that I lifted a load that she was carrying. I even gave her one of my printed Tshirts with my art on it of course.

    A raving loony I was not, I had all my faculties to research and found a statute in the IPA 1997 legislation that allowed me to take Council to court and a statute that had no precedent and it was worded in such a way and with my documented Council evidence I couldn’t lose but I didn’t take into account that the judges were nobbled and I had enough nous to take it to all the way up to the High Court and even the High Court judge was nobbled.

    Just to make it clear that the judges were nobbled here are there rulings. The basis for the action was that there were errors in my Development Approval and I had a Lord Mayoral letter stating in black and white that there was an Administration error in my DA.

    P&E Court. The judge said that there were 4 errors in the DA but dismissed my case because I did not have a Planning and Development Certificate. A planning and development certificate is a copy of the Development Approval, I was dismissed because I didn’t have a copy.

    Court of Appeal. The judges said that there was no errors except one?? and I didn’t have a certificate, even though in oral evidence I submitted evidence from Council’s website that proved a development approval and certificate was one and the same.

    High Court. The judge said that the Development Approval was the same as a certificate and there was no errors despite a letter from Newman to me in full admission of errors.

    So much for justice and they were all male criminal aholes who went about perverting the course of justice and covering up crimes of extortion, fraud, perjury and of being stood over by the P&E court registrar with threats to withdraw my action.

    Perhaps I was loony to take on the establishment.

  16. bobrafto

    Wally
    I wasn’t calling about marriage advice, I was calling about legal aspects of having funds frozen and to have someone abuse me because I was being too soft towards my ex. was a bit much, I was like all the other men softies who this lady on the helpline had come to despise.

  17. diannaart

    No bobrafto, I was loony for expecting you understand that the behaviour of a few women does not makes us all suspect.

    Apologies for trying to help.

  18. bobrafto

    diannaartDecember 2, 2015 at 3:59 pm

    No bobrafto, I was loony for expecting you understand that the behaviour of a few women does not makes us all suspect.

    Apologies for trying to help.

    eh?

    I wrote above that I have had women doctors and dentists and now let me add psychologist, chemist, real estate agents and I may think of some more but I think that suffices to put your assumption to rest.

    And what should have been a giggle of my experiences, sometimes it doesn’t come out that way.

    peace bro!

  19. bobrafto

    Was there a full moon around?

  20. diannaart

    bobrafto

    Your comments to me are completely uncalled for. You complain about having difficulties then deride anyone who tries to empathise with you.

    Good Luck.

  21. bobrafto

    in past posts that I made some of them were a bit loony and this occurs on a monthly basis and i blamed the full moon and here again I am at fault by the way I structured my comments and I was referring to myself in regard to the full moon and since I possess self awareness it might be time for me to have a rest from commenting for awhile.

    my sincere apologies.

  22. Wally

    bobrafto

    “I am at fault by the way I structured my comments”

    Most of us have been guilty of providing misleading information in comments and then wondering why others miss the point or take it opposite to how it is intended. I was tempted to comment but refrained hoping that common sense would prevail and it has.

  23. diannaart

    bobrafto

    Thank you for your apology, happily accepted.

    Dianna

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