“Am I repulsed by women who ‘fake’ domestic violence to get the ‘upper hand’ in a divorce or to destroy their ex? Hell yes. It’s disgusting and repugnant beyond belief and chips away at the legitimacy of REAL domestic abuse for women who truly HAVE experienced it.”

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/domestic-violence-fairytales-threaten-constitutional-protections/  - posting #43

Jason Om reported this story on Thursday, September 2, 2010 12:46:00

ELEANOR HALL: A national men’s group is claiming victory over what it calls a feminist agenda in a South Australian domestic violence policy.

An independent investigation has upheld the group’s complaint against a public awareness campaign in South Australia.

The Ombudsman inquiry found parts of the $870,000 campaign were false or misleading.

In Adelaide Jason Om reports.

JASON OM: The Don’t Cross the Line campaign has run in newspapers, on television and on radio.

(Excerpt from advertisement):

WOMAN: All I want is a bit of respect.

(Sound of bottle being opened)

MAN: Oh, what about a bit of respect for me you stupid cow?

WOMAN: Oh, get your own dinner.

(Sound of breaking glass)

MAN: Now look what you’ve made me do!

WOMAN: Oh.

MAN: Get back here!

MALE VOICEOVER: He’s crossed the line because there’s never any excuse to threaten, abuse or hit your partner…

(End of excerpt)

JASON OM: It also has a website.

MALE VOICEOVER (excerpt from advertisement): Find out at dontcrosstheline.com.au.

JASON OM: But the Ombudsman in South Australia has found some statistics published on the site initially were false and misleading.

Advocate group Men’s Health Australia made the complaint against the Office of the Status of Women.

MICHAEL WOODS: It distorted the data, what research does show about the rates of violence that women will experience.

JASON OM: Michael Woods is one of the group’s supporters. He’s from the Men’s Health Information and Resource Centre*(see editor’s note) at the University of Western Sydney.

MICHAEL WOODS: It’s a shame that a government department was unable despite being notified a year ago to address its own shortcomings and it required this kind of action.

The ideological commitment of people in that department must be so strong that they would reject scientific data in favour of their own biases.

JASON OM: Men’s Health Australia objected to ten claims on the website. The Ombudsman’s final report substantiates seven of them and another two partially.

In one case the Government had said that one in 17 women is a victim of domestic violence each year when actually the figure refers to violence generally.

The minister responsible for the campaign Gail Gago says the errors were innocent.

GAIL GAGO: There were I think problems with individuals that were transferring information from one source to another. And the degree of diligence that should have occurred simply didn’t.

JASON OM: She rejects the group’s claim of an agenda within her department.

GAIL GAGO: Our anti-violence campaign is not a contest about who is the biggest victim.

JASON OM: Gail Gago says the Government has corrected the errors and there’s no reason to pull the campaign.

(Excerpt from advertisement):

MAN: Oh let’s do it.

WOMAN: I want to wait.

MAN: But you said you would…

(End of excerpt)

JASON OM: Domestic violence experts say the case highlights a tussle between men’s and women’s groups.

DALE BAGSHAW: There’s been a battle between the genders for some time with women and men at extreme ends of a continuum in relation to domestic violence.

JASON OM: Associate professor Dale Bagshaw is a family violence expert from the University of South Australia.

DALE BAGSHAW: I think it’s important to acknowledge that a percentage of men are victims of violence.
But it’s also important to examine research about domestic violence and to look carefully at the type of research that’s done.

And all the research I’ve engaged in to date would suggest that more often than not it’s the women living in fear and very rarely the men.

JASON OM: Men’s Health Australia says it represents the psychological and social wellbeing of men and boys.

The group has also complained of incorrect statistics in the New South Wales Domestic Violence and Family Action Plan. But the New South Wales Ombudsman has so far found no reason to investigate.

MICHAEL FLOOD: The group’s complaint is not motivated by a genuine concern for male victims of violence. I think that it’s motivated more by political agendas.

JASON OM: Dr Michael Flood is a domestic violence researcher at the University of Wollongong. He says the group is muddying the debate.

MICHAEL FLOOD: Men’s Health Australia draw on one body of scholarship that uses I think fairly dodgy methods for counting and estimating violence to make the claim that domestic violence is gender equal.

Now there’s a whole other body of scholarship and body of scholarly opinion that says, yes if we count violence in some simplistic way then it looks 50/50.

But once we start looking at impact, once we start looking at injuries, once we start looking at context and history and so on then it’s very, very clear that the problem of men’s violence against women is much more significant than the problem of women’s violence against men.

JASON OM: Men’s Health Australia is pushing on with its campaign. It’s sent another complaint to the New South Wales Ombudsman.

ELEANOR HALL: Jason Om reporting.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2010/s3000569.htm

But the lesson is clear: Few incumbents, Democratic or Republican, will have a free ride this coming Fall.

So this week leading up to the Labor Day weekend, it’s time to take a breather, and make plans for the Fall campaign.

November 2 will belong to those who are working to scale back the intrusion of government into the affairs of private citizens.

• “Each day in the U.S. three women die as the result of domestic violence.”
• “More than one in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.”

So when persons complained to Allstate (1-800-255-7828 or http://messaging.allstate.com/corp.aspx  ), they were informed that over 250 scholarly studies (http://www.csulb.edu/~mfiebert/assault.htm  ) don’t matter since, in the words of one Allstate representative, “our work is guided by studies by the U.S. Department of Justice studies and many others showing that women comprise the vast majority of domestic violence victims.”

We are now calling on all men, and the women who love men, to cancel their Allstate insurance policies.

Hold your Horses, says “Amy” who works for an unnamed abuse shelter. While Amy acknowledges there may be “millions” of abused men out there, “98% of our clientele is women.” For some reason, that’s supposed to “burst our bubble.”

If nothing else, Amy’s message offers an insightful look into the thinking of an abuse shelter worker:

I absolutely disagree with targeting AllState because of what you seem to see as gender discrimination. I work in a domestic violence shelter, and have for the past 5 years. We of course help all men, women, children and transgender individuals in abusive situations. But the facts we produce each year have to be honest – and these facts come from our shelter statistics – and if we’re being honest, 98% of our clientele is women. We aren’t saying that millions of abused men aren’t out there in the world. But we can’t lie and say we’ve helped them when we haven’t.

Don’t blame All State when all they are trying to do is help ALL victims of domestic abuse. Our area shelters have received money from All State, which goes to our programming, which, as I said previously, helps individuals of all sexes and ages. Until there are actual supported studies and facts that NCADV [National Coalition Against Domestic Violence] puts out, you can’t be sure the facts are truthful.
Do you hear about gay individuals being abused often? Hmong indiduals? No? How is it any different? Getting the word out that men are also abused is very important, and a noble idea. We see it here. But again, we see our clientele as 98% female. Sorry to burst your bubble.
~Amy~

Jim O’Rourke
August 29, 2010

Victims of domestic violence will get an extra 20 days of paid leave a year as part of a historic clause in an enterprise agreement.

In a first for Australian workplaces, the Public Service Association of NSW has been negotiating with the University of NSW to allow its workers to take special leave to attend court, counselling or a doctor.

The union has also written to Premier Kristina Keneally, urging her to include the domestic violence provisions in the award that covers many of the state’s 300,000 public servants.

The clause will also ensure bosses cannot sack or suspend an employee if their attendance or work performance suffers because of domestic violence. Human resources staff will receive training in domestic violence issues.

Workers will also be able to request safety measures at work, such as changing telephone numbers and asking for transfers, to protect them from violent partners.

In Victoria, the Australian Services Union has tabled a similar clause as part of enterprise agreement talks with the Surf Coast Shire Council near Geelong.

The NSW PSA’s women’s industrial officer, Anne Kennelly, said the university had agreed to the clause, but negotiations continued about the wording.

The Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, which helped the PSA develop the clause, said the university would be the first Australian workplace to implement the protections.

Clearinghouse project officer Ludo McFerran said recent US research showed that at any time, 10 per cent of women were experiencing, or had recently experienced, domestic violence.

In 2004, NSW police recorded 68,984 incidents of assault, 37.3 per cent of which were domestic assaults.

Ms McFerran said the clause could improve the workplace productivity of a domestic violence victim.

”This is not just a sub-clause in a workplace agreement but designed to create a workplace where women feel safe to disclose issues with domestic violence,” she said.

”It encourages women to think, ‘I’m not going to get the sack’ for revealing violence in the home.”

A university spokeswoman confirmed it had agreed, in principle, to the clause and it would involve general and academic staff. She said the university recognised the need to be flexible on employee welfare.

At a speech during a forum to launch the initiative, federal Minister for the Status of Women Tanya Plibersek said women suffered in the workplace as they ”struggle to put on a brave face”.

”By remaining connected to the workplace, a woman has a much better chance of retaining her independence after a perpetrator has been removed from the family home,” Ms Plibersek said.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said employers would be happy with the support measures in the clause but questioned the need for the extra leave, especially in small private businesses.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/work-win-for-victims-of-domestic-violence-20100828-13wv3.html

I informed the Allstate representative that we have seen about 2 dozen men who were within moments of taking their own life when they found Shattered Men. They said “FINALLY….someone will believe ME!” And they were kept from suicide.

Then I asked the Allstate representative to think about the next time he reads about a domestic suicide or a murder-suicide…to ask himself if Allstate had taken the lead in addressing MEN who are victims of domestic abuse…would THEY have prevented the tragedy…..and that by NOT looking at both sides…..the NEXT murder/suicide or suicide may well be on THEIR hands.

But Allstate now says, “NO.” …. MEN are NOT in good hands with ALLSTATE!

So pass this message along to your friends and neighbors: “Men are NOT in good hands with Allstate!”

So folks, it’s time we send a powerful message to Allstate: CANCEL YOUR POLICY…AND DO IT NOW!

+++++++++++++++++++

Dear Mr. A:

You recently contacted us regarding the Allstate Foundation’s on-line resources about ending domestic violence, and your e-mail was brought to my attention. Thank you for sharing your feedback, which is important to us. I would like to take a moment to personally respond to your concerns.

In regard to The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program, I think it would be helpful to first share some background information regarding our involvement with this worthy cause. The Allstate Foundation joined with the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) in 2005. Since this partnership began, we have been committed to promoting economic empowerment strategies that can help to reduce the domestic abuse that plagues many households. Also, the programs the Allstate Foundation supports have positively influenced many lives and were chosen based on research provided by the United States Department of Justice.

However, please keep in mind that even though the Allstate Foundation is unable to financially support certain programs it doesn’t mean we don’t recognize that both men and women may be living in abusive situations.

We appreciate your comments, and we thank you for taking the time to contact us.

Honest feedback like yours helps us to more fully understand the issues that are being faced by so many every day. 

Edith Briggs

Allstate Customer Resolution Specialist

1-800-570-6206 EXT 4561

++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Mr. B:

You recently contacted us regarding the Allstate Foundation’s on-line resources about ending domestic violence, and your e-mail was brought to my attention. Thank you for sharing your feedback, which is important to us. I would like to take a moment to personally respond to your concerns.

In regard to The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program, I think it would be helpful to first share some background information regarding our involvement with this worthy cause. The Allstate Foundation joined with the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) in 2005. Since this partnership began, we have been committed to promoting economic empowerment strategies that can help to reduce the domestic abuse that plagues many households. Also, the programs the Allstate Foundation supports have positively influenced many lives and were chosen based on research provided by the United States Department of Justice.

Also, thank you for suggesting Fiebert ML. References Examining Assaults by Women on their Spouses or Male Partners. California State University, 2010. (http://www.csulb.edu/~mfiebert/assault.htm), Archer J. Sex Differences in Aggression Between Heterosexual Partners: A Meta-Analytic Review. Psychological Bulletin Vol. 126, No. 5, 2000), (Stith S, Smith DB, Penn CE, et al. Intimate partner physical abuse perpetration and victimization risk factors: A meta-analytic review, and Aggression and Violent Behavior Vol. 10, 2004. pp. 65-98) as additional resources related to domestic violence. However, since we do not currently support these organizations, we can not provide links for them on our web pages.

However, please keep in mind that even though the Allstate Foundation is unable to financially support certain programs it doesn’t mean we don’t recognize that both men and women may be living in abusive situations.

We appreciate your comments, and we thank you for taking the time to contact us.

Honest feedback like yours helps us to more fully understand the issues that are being faced by so many every day. 

I’m going to close your file for now but please reply to this e-mail at your earliest convenience if you have any questions. I can be reached between the hours of 9:15 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Sincerely,

Victor Rice

Allstate Customer Resolution Specialist

CES@Roanoke ASAP

1-800-570-6206, x4523

1-866-224-5548, fax

abz6l@allstate.com

++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Mr. C,

You recently contacted us regarding the Allstate Foundation’s on-line resources about ending domestic violence, and your email was brought to my attention. Thank you for sharing your feedback, which is important to us. I would like to take a moment to personally respond to your concerns.

In regard to The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program, I think it would be helpful to first share some background information regarding our involvement with this worthy cause. The Allstate Foundation joined with the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) in 2005. Since this partnership began, we have been committed to promoting economic empowerment strategies that can help to reduce the domestic abuse that plagues many households. Also, the programs the Allstate Foundation supports have positively influenced many lives and were chosen based on research provided by the United States Department of Justice.

However, please keep in mind that even though the Allstate Foundation is unable to financially support certain programs it doesn’t mean we don’t recognize that both men and women may be living in abusive situations.

We appreciate your comments, and we thank you for taking the time to contact us.

Honest feedback like yours helps us to more fully understand the issues that are being faced by so many every day. 

I’m going to close your file for now but please reply to this e-mail at your earliest convenience if you have any questions. I can be reached between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:30 pm Eastern Standard Time.

Sincerely,

DEJA HATCH
CUSTOMER RESOLUTION SPECIALIST
1-800-995-2572 EXT. 4573
ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Dr. D,

Thank you for taking the time to look into our domestic violence program and for your clear passion to fight this issue that impacts so many people.  We try to keep our program gender-neutral and certainly do not wish to exclude any victims of domestic violence, male or female. We believe our program and website reflect this commitment. While we acknowledge that domestic violence impacts both men and women, our work is guided by studies by the U.S. Department of Justice studies and many others showing that women comprise the vast majority of domestic violence victims. One such study found that women make up 84% of spouse abuse victims and 86% of abuse victims by a boyfriend or girlfriend.^[1]

We hope this helps to clarify our position on the issue. Thank you for your comments.

Sincerely,

The Allstate Foundation

Have you been falsely accused of domestic violence? Have you been forced from your home, deprived of seeing your kids, forced to prove you didn’t commit the abuse?

All persons falsely-accused of domestic violence are welcome here. We invite you to share your experiences, learn from others, restore your good name…and eventually provide advice to help others get through their predicament.

And when you’re ready, we’ll invite you to join us and work for change so the false allegations stop, and true victims can get the services they need and deserve.

Stop Abusive and Violent Environments – SAVE – has pulled together a wealth of resources for persons falsely accused of domestic violence:

1. Announcements, updates, and Alerts: Sign up for our Facebook page
2. Online Discussion Group: Join our Yahoo group
3. Practical advice

Are you currently in an abusive relationship? Still recovering from a previous violent encounter? Or ready to help others get over the hurt?

We are men and women, young and old, straight, gay, or bisexual. We know the pain of being a victim or survivor of domestic violence and partner abuse.

Eventually we need to move away from hurting to healing. Then from healing to helping others. And eventually, from helping to working for change.

Stop Abusive and Violent Environments – SAVE — has pulled together a variety of resources for victims and survivors of domestic violence:

1. Announcements, updates, and Advocacy Alerts – Sign up for our Facebook page
2. Online Support Group – Join our Yahoo group
3. Answers to your questions

Check out the qualifications for a Crisis Line Operator at the Women’s Resource Center in Norman, Oklahoma:

Requires a commitment of at least 3 months. Basic telephone and conversational skills. Ability to remain calm in a crisis situation. Familiarity with the Norman community and resources preferred. Must be 18 years of age or older.

Yep, if you can stay calm and keep up the happy-talk, you should qualify!

Source: http://www.takepart.com/actions/crisis-line-operator-at-domestic-violence-shelter/195912