Steinem to Speak on Women's Violence?
By Rod Van Mechelen
The mainstream is not talking about women's violence, and feminists treat the topic as taboo. Is that about to change? Gloria Steinem says it's time to break the silence on family violence. The "Just Kidding!" is implied.
An end to the silence
2012 Olympia, Wash. - Feminist Icon Gloria Steinem has come out in favor of uncovering the dirty little secret of domestic violence:
Five decades ago, there was no term for domestic violence. “It was just called life before,” said Gloria Steinem, in an exclusive interview Friday with the Herald. - Feminist crusader Gloria Steinem urges end to silence on domestic abuse, Gwendolyn Richards, Calgary Herald, November 9, 2012
It's really great to see that Steinem, who is not known for her sympathy for men's issues, is coming out in favor of ending the silence about domestic violence, particularly in the Calgary area where Earl Silverman has been the lone voice for many years:
The province has ignored male victims of domestic violence and does not provide adequate resources for men looking to escape violent domestic situations, says a men’s rights advocate who’s heading to court to fight the issue. “All I know is there are male victims of domestic violence,” said Earl Silverman. “There are not the same support services available to men as there are for women. - Earl Silverman says abuse by women deserves greater recognition, Christopher Walsh, Calgary Beacon, December 19, 2011
Silence on female violence everywhere
It's not just a problem in Calgary, either, but throughout Canada and the U.S.:
Dr. Martin Fiebert, a professor of psychology at California State University, Long Beach, who has been studying the issue of female-perpetrated domestic violence on men since the mid-1990s, says the problem is only now beginning to be accepted by law enforcement and other social agencies. “It’s one of those dirty secrets,” he says. “There was an entrenched mindset that developed and I would say, a feminist viewpoint, that always viewed men as the perpetrators." - Female violence society’s “dirty little secret,” especially in Alberta, Christopher Walsh, Calgary Beacon, July 29, 2011
This is why it's so very exciting yet also startling that a famous feminist like Steinem, who is usually known for her sexism, would speak out on this shameful silence:
“One person saying what they believe is unsayable and hearing six other people say, ‘I feel like that too,’ and suddenly you know you’re not crazy, you’re not alone,” she said. “If we band together, we can change it.” - Feminist crusader Gloria Steinem urges end to silence on domestic abuse, Gwendolyn Richards, Calgary Herald, November 9, 2012
That's almost exactly what has been happening to Earl:
Not only was the issue not talked about, there were no support services to help men like Earl Silverman. He became a pariah, openly mocked and laughed at when he tried to explain his situation. Earl didn’t kill himself that day, but 20 years later, not a lot has changed. - Female violence society’s “dirty little secret,” especially in Alberta, Christopher Walsh, Calgary Beacon, July 29, 2011
Silence on violence against men not worth talking about?
But wait, what's this?
While the phrase has given a name to the problem, Steinem said there is still more to be done to combat it. Among those efforts has to be breaking down the silence that continues to surround domestic violence — a hush that leaves women isolated and feeling like they experience it alone, she says. - Feminist crusader Gloria Steinem urges end to silence on domestic abuse, Gwendolyn Richards, Calgary Herald, November 9, 2012
That's right. From politicians and the mainstream media we hear about male violence against women all the time, and it's still silence. You can't hardly turn around without being reminded that all women are victims and all men are abusers of women. So why would talking about something that is talked about so much be referred to as putting an "end to silence"? There is no silence on violence against women. The silence is on women's violence against men.
The Calgary Herald headline is a lie. More evidence of the bigotry of the sexist sows, the prejudice of the politicians and the misandry of the mainstream media.
Regards
Rod Van Mechelen
Rod Van Mechelen is the author of What Everyone Should Know about Feminist Issues: The Male-Positive Perspective (the page now includes several articles by other authors), and the publisher of The Backlash! @ Backlash.com. He is a member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and served for 9-1/2 years on the Cowlitz Indian Tribal Council.
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