Open Letter to a Domestic Violence Centre

by the late Alan Sutherland

To: Domestic Violence Centre, Auckland.
4 August 2000

To whom it may concern,

Last night I listened to an item broadcast on the National Program that featured a representative from the Domestic Violence Centre in Auckland, along with a representative of Men Stopping Violence Program. The subject of the broadcast was Domestic Violence, in particular the recent high profile cases of violence (one fatal) suffered by children.

At approx. 2015, I turned off the radio in disgust when it was stated that Domestic Violence was not merely a male Maori problem, but a problem that must be addressed by ALL MALES! When will it ever be recognized that females also commit acts of violence and in equal proportions to males? The only reason that the statistics show an overwhelmingly male bias in matters of domestic violence is because the statistics are flawed, as the Police will not take male complaints of female violence seriously and the Department for Courts will not find a female guilty of assault on a male. How can a female be convicted of a violent act if the Police will not follow a complaint, and then if a charge is laid, a biased Court dismisses the charge?

As a male victim of Domestic Violence the legal system and “aid” organizations are more interested in harassing me than dealing with female-initiated violence and ignore the problem of female initiated violence. I have been imprisoned twice based on unsubstantiated allegations, yet when a male makes a complaint of violence by a female he is ignored by the Police and the Department for Courts. I was also forced to attend an Anger Management Program under threat of imprisonment whilst my wife’s continuing anger management and gambling problems went unaddressed and unacknowledged, as they still do to this day, the NZ Government and others ignoring the issues and not listening to my concerns, or indeed the concerns of any male in respect of such matters.

The recent highly publicized acts of child abuse and domestic violence were committed by females, yet this only presented the NZ Government, the media, women’s refuges, and other biased organizations such as Domestic Violence Centre, with opportunities to further distort reality, and further denigration and abuse of males

It is time that recognition be given to the fact that domestic violence is not merely a male problem and a crime that is wholly committed by males. It is time for the NZ Government and organizations such as yours to enter the real world and recognize the problem of domestic violence for what it is and effectively deal with it in an unbiased and objective manner.

Women also commit acts of domestic violence. All males in NZ are a target and subject to discrimination and other Human Rights abuses - guilty by virtue of gender. It is time these practices ceased. It is time the NZ Government and organizations such as Domestic Violence Centre adhere to the Human Rights Act, which makes gender discrimination an offence.

Last Update: 26 April 2009

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