Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence Defined
Domestic violence is very liberally defined and can be construed in very vague terms. Almost any aggressive behavior can be construed as domestic violence. Domestic violence does not have to be physical. Emotional violence (shouting, threats, creating fear, and even silence or not talking are classified as domestic violence in the current guidelines). Hearsay evidence is allowed, meaning someone's claim of domestic violence is considered fact. Judges must assume that it did, in fact, occur.

The following documents are essential reading for anyone faced with a claim of domestic violence:

Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting

http://www.mediaradar.org/

RADAR—Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting—is a network of concerned men and women around the country who are working to assure that the media present the hidden side of domestic violence.

RADAR Proposal to the United Nations

The attached press release will be going to 17,000 media outlets

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In his annual proclamation, president George W. Bush recently recognized that men are also harmed by this national crisis. "Domestic violence has no place in our society, and we have a moral obligation to help prevent it. The terrible tragedies that result from it destroy lives and insult the dignity of women, men, and children," Bush noted.

Domestic Violence is a problem throughout the globe. The World Health Organization weighed in on the topic several years ago and in 1994 the U.S. enacted the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), under the assumption that all domestic violence is only perpetrated by men. The military and U.S. Navy integrated women into combat positions in the late 80's and on Navy combatant ships and sexual harassment and domestic violence training was implemented. The assumption was that it is a man on women issue. A different picture has emerged. Even though current laws, policy, and criminal justice procedure provide for the prosecution of men, many military and law enforcement officials started to prosecute women. In November 2005, the President signed the reauthorization of VAWA II, and with the extraordinary work of RADAR, it included protections and funding for men.

Domestic Violence and the difficult truth
Many of these pages may sound offensive, however, you need to understand the resources available to women only for instances of domestic violence. Many of these organizations are funded by $347,000,000 in federal funding. Many of these organizations advocate that DV is only a man on woman issue.

For years the laws disadvantaged women and placed them in compromising situations. Domestic Violence is not an option to be tolerated. The paradigm has changed and the DV laws are being abused by many of the organizations and people it was designed to protect. Become educated about this important issue.

With the introduction of women in combat military and changes in welfare reform, it is evident apparent that DV is also a women on man issue. With greater understanding, and the work of RADAR, removed gender from the law, let us bring balance to a problematic issue and eliminate family courts that promote false allegations of DV, which is DV. With the paradigm shift to shared parenting in Virginia, there is less to fight about.

There are many Domestic Violence shelters and groups in Michigan and only a very few offer marginal services or are trained to provide services for men.

Check the Domestic Violence Wheel (DHHS) and domestic violence includes: false allegations, obstruction of parenting time, parental alienation, pushing, verbal abuse, denigration, and vindictiveness. Check the following documents for what you can do; avoid/separate from the conflict situation, development a trust relationship with a police officer, document the date/time and short description of the incident, report it.

Domestic Violence Report and Statistics The Myth and reality, DV is created equal.

Reliable research shows that men and women are equally likely to engage in partner aggression, and 38% of persons injured by domestic violence are male. This has been shown in over 100 studies conducted in both the United States and abroad: www.csulb.edu/~mfiebert/assault.htm. The U.S. Congress has mandated that domestic violence services be made available to victims of both sexes. Despite that requirement, the DoJ Office of Violence Against Women has instructed that "states must fund only programs that focus on violence against women."

VAWA Re-authorization 2005

http://www.vawa2005.org/

THE MISSION: The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is a landmark piece of legislation that sought to improve criminal justice and community-based responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking in the United States. The passage of VAWA in 1994 and its reauthorization in 2000 has changed the landscape for victims who once suffered in silence. Victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking have been able to access services, and a new generation of families and justice system professionals have come to understand that domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking are crimes that our society will not tolerate. Reauthorization and expansion of this vital legal reform should be a Congressional priority in 2005.

WomensLaw.org

http://www.womenslaw.org/

THEIR MISSION: WomensLaw.org was founded in February 2000 by a group of lawyers, teachers, activists, and web designers interested in seeing the power of the Internet work for more disadvantaged people and specifically for survivors of domestic violence. We pulled together our experiences and resources and launched this website in October 2001.

Family Violence Defense Fund

http://www.endabuse.org/
THEIR MISSION: We need to continue assisting law enforcement and giving women supportive services, including housing, trained health care providers and job security. But the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 should also help prevent violence before it begins by targeting resources to children and youth who have been exposed to violence, and engaging men as allies in this work. And we need to target many more resources to help some of our marginalized citizens, including immigrant and Native American women who experience

Send us an Email

Join
Dads and Moms PAC

Membership Letter

Membership Application