Minister misleads Federal Parliament about Family Violence

A leading men's health organisation today claimed that the Federal Minister for the Status of Women, the Hon. Kate Ellis MP misled Parliament during debate of the Family Law Legislation Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2011 last Thursday by making false and misleading claims about family violence. Men's Health Australia are concerned about the Minister's claim, "while it is true that men are more likely to be victims of violence, this violence occurs predominantly at the hands of a stranger and in public places, such as the street or the pub, not at the hands of a family member, not at the hands of a partner, not at the hands of those they trust the most and not in their own home." Spokesperson Greg Andresen said, "Australian men are indeed more likely than women to experience violence at the hands of strangers and in public places, such as the street or the pub. However, this does not mean that men are less likely than women to experience violence at the hands of persons known to them, or in the home."

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Domestic violence myths help no one - Christina Hoff Sommers

"The facts are clear," said Attorney General Eric Holder. "Intimate partner homicide is the leading cause of death for African-American women ages 15 to 45." That's a horrifying statistic, and it would be a shocking reflection of the state of the black family, and American society generally, if it were true. But it isn't true. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Justice Department's own Bureau of Justice Statistics, the leading causes of death for African-American women between the ages 15–45 are cancer, heart disease, unintentional injuries such as car accidents, and HIV disease. Homicide comes in fifth — and includes murders by strangers. In 2006 (the latest year for which full statistics are available), several hundred African-American women died from intimate partner homicide — each one a tragedy and an outrage, but far fewer than the approximately 6,800 women who died of the other leading causes.

Federal funding 'misused' by White Ribbon Campaign

A coalition of domestic violence researchers, counsellors, psychologists and men's health workers has asked the Minister for Women Kate Ellis to investigate the possible misuse of Federal anti-violence funding by the White Ribbon Foundation. The Foundation has been allocated $1 million over 4 years to help their White Ribbon Ambassadors work in regional, rural and remote communities - particularly in high schools - to influence the change of attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate violence against women in Australian society. The Ambassadors have been sent a resource document by the Foundation titled "What about the men? White Ribbon, men and violence" containing numerous serious statistical errors and unreferenced claims about gender and violence which downplay the incidence and impacts of violence upon men and boys. (A complete and fully referenced three-page list of the errors can be found at bit.ly/wrd10).

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Hearing criticises diagnosis by phone

A doctor working for the erectile dysfunction company Advanced Medical Institute has been found guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct after he prescribed a $4000 nasal spray treatment after a cursory telephone conversation.Dr Sergio Staraj was reprimanded by the Medical Council of NSW for failing to physically examine the patient, failing to keep a proper record of the consultation and failing to discuss treatments for erectile dysfunction other than AMI's products.The council's professional standards committee heard Dr Staraj had worked on a sessional basis for AMI and conducted up to 40 telephone consultations a day from his home office, despite having little training or previous experience in men's health.

One in Three Campaign publishes analysis of Position Paper by the Women’s Council (WA)

In August 2010, the Women’s Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services (WA) published their Position Paper in response to the Intimate Partner Abuse of Men research report commissioned by the Men’s Advisory Network and conducted by Edith Cowan University. The One in Three Campaign's just-published analysis examines in detail the claims made in the Women’s Council Position Paper. Most of the claims are not supported by evidence. They appear to have been made in an attempt to maintain the status quo that has existed for many years in Australia whereby male victims of domestic and family violence are downplayed or ignored; hence few services if any are provided to assist them and their children.

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