This week, Councillor Christine James (a campaigner for female victims of domestic abuse) from Weymouth and Portland Council was convicted of physically attacking her husband (also a councillor though he is Conservative and she is a Lib Dem). The report in the Dorset Echo says she she rained punches down on him.
She received a sentence of an 18 month conditional discharge (basically the judge convicts someone but passes no sentence unless a similar incident occurs) and had to pay £200 in costs. She also refuses to resign from the council.
Now if this was a male councillor there is no way such a weak and pathetic sentence would have been passed. There would have been a campaign of vilification by local women's groups (the local Women's Aid group especially), he would have been disowned by his political group on the council and the council itself would have condemned him. Yet, because the councillor is female nothing of the sort happens and the council itself says it is a 'domestic' and therefore none of its business!
As an elected member of the community and someone who is meant to lead by example and having broken the law, the councillor has to resign. A male councillor would have come under such pressure he would have no choice, but not a word from the Lib Dems on this council. Eeveryone available would be lining up to condemn him.
As ever, double standards are shown to be norm when it comes to male and female victims or perpertrators of doemstic abuse. Silence and sweep under the carpet, keep moving, there is nothing to see here...
Posted by Skimmington
Other Media Coverage - Dorset Echo#2, Daily Mail
Wow, I didn't realise she hadn't resigned.
The laughable sentence was to be expected but at the very least she needs to be kicked out.
Posted by: John Kimble | Monday, 06 December 2010 at 06:08
"basically the judge convicts someone but passes no sentence unless a similar incident occurs"
Except she is a serial offender and has already assaulted her daughter in the past.
Forgiveness isn't a bad thing for first time offenders, but when someone has a history of violence they need punishing and rehabilitation.
If only they had perpetrator programmes for female abusers..
Posted by: John Kimble | Monday, 06 December 2010 at 06:19