On Tuesday, the site commented on the government's (leaked) new consultation on domestic violence also that there was to be a fund for services for male victims of domestic abuse (the fund has a short period and groups have to spend the first batch of money very quickly - by the end of March 2012).
The press release and explanation has been gender neutral but the document itself sets out clearly that it is only really about female victims of domestic abuse - this is because of the foreword by the Minister for Women and Equalities who is also the Home Secretary - Theresa May.
The document explains that 1 in 4 women will be a victim of domestic abuse on their lifetime and that two women per fortnight are murdered as well as the fact that 1.2 million suffer per year. Looking at the ManKind Initiative's key facts about male victims you can see the alternative figures (1 in 6 men, one per fortnight murdered and about 700,000 men per year) so why are these not in the foreword. They are from the same Home office sources.
It may be OK to mention the number of younger boys who are victims (and it has been very good this issue has at least been raised) but only mentioning women when the alternative male figures are available on a consultation for both men and women is as clear an example of institutional discrimination against men as you will ever see. Someone at the Home Office who drafted the foreword had consciously decided not to include men. Must have been someone from the government's equalities department - that part of the government who explicitly states that its work does not include men:
Despite the coverage given however to the leak about the consultation, at least some of the media and otehr commentators had got better at producing a balanced view.
Radio 4's Today programme on Wednesday was a case in point where while the case study was of a female victim it was made clear that it happens to men and women, with Carmel Napier from ACPO restating this. Sky mentioned men as well.
However, because the foreword only mentioned men really and also the tone of the idiot, sexist and biased reporters had been set previously in the week, the notion that the consultation was only about female victims continued. Examples can be found here - The Sun, Daily Mirror, Standard, Daily Mail (Melissa Kite) and The Guardian (Lisa Longstaff)
Posted by Skimmington
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