Cathy Young dissents from domestic violence orthodoxy.
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|10.12.04 @ 3:23PM|#
Imagine my surprise -- domestic violence is a mult-facted and multi-vocal problem.
Feminism, especially radical feminism, however, is uniform, univocal, and uni-facted.
This kind of shallow pseudo-scholarship is not helpful, even to its own purported ends.
Funny how many radical lesbians are focusing on lesbian domestic abuse as a feminist issue. I'm sure Cathy will clarify matters for them.
Pfeh.
Shirley Knott
|10.12.04 @ 4:19PM|#
Shirley,
Your confusing post aside, domestic violence is multi-faceted, yes, but the "vocal" opponents to it is far from it.
I, for one, would like to see just how many "radical lesbians are focusing on lesbian domestic abuse as a feminist issue. " and NOT blaming it on a patriarchal society.
|10.12.04 @ 4:29PM|#
As a "survivor of domestic violence" myself (I was repeatedly beaten and sexually coerced in a three-year-long marriage), I want to say that Cathy is not only correct but dead straight on. This article quite swept away the remains of the half-digested indoctrination I received from well-meaning social workers at the women's shelter I eventually escaped to. THANK YOU.
How else should we talk about this? May I suggest:
- Point out that abusers and abused may often be the same person. (Not me, but I've seen it happen.)
- List the most common ways women abuse men.
- Show why it is so difficult for men, specifically, to "just leave." (I'm a woman, but I was the sole breadwinner, all the bills were in my name, and my ex had taken control of my money and my car). Think about why a decent man might be so reluctant to abandon his wife (or anyone else in such a role).
- Consider opening shelters for abused men, especially those who need to take kids and escape an abusive mother.
We discussed shelter for men in a group meeting at the women's shelter I was in, because one gal's brother was himself abused. We proposed that an exception be made for him and he be allowed to stay with us at the shelter. You should have seen the HORROR on the feminazi S.W.'s face. ROFL!!!
|10.12.04 @ 5:26PM|#
Thanks, Cathy, for a fine article. The need to address the issue of domestic violence has been compromised for too long by simple assumptions.
Trudy W. Schuett|10.12.04 @ 6:15PM|#
You may be interested in the DVA2004 Media Recon Project at my website. I'm tracking media nationwide in an effort to combat the well-worn distortions in an effort to promote full awareness of the issue of domestic violence. In addition, the site provides background on the history of domestic violence programs, and how the problem came to be considered a �women�s issue.�
http://desertlightjournal.blog-city.com/index.cfm
Trudy W. Schuett