From Men's Health Australia:

Wednesday February 18, 2009
Senate Select Committee on Men's Health

The Australian Senate has established a Select Committee on Men's Health to inquire into general issues related to the availability and effectiveness of education, supports and services for men's health. Submissions close on 27th February. Many have wondered why this inquiry was established, considering the public consultation process currently underway to develop Australia's first long-awaited National Men's Health Policy.

Article here. Excerpt:

'New statistics suggest that men in their early 20s are MORE likely to be abused by their partner than women the same age. It's not a subject that's much talked about. On Newsbeat, we're changing that.

Story here. A whopping FOUR MONTHS for making her ex-husband's life a living Hell. As usual, reverse the sexes and the sentence would be more like FOUR YEARS. Excerpt:

"A husband whose ex-wife subjected him to a bizarre hate campaign has spoken out after she was finally jailed following 11 arrests for harassment.

Judith Holmes-O'Brien, a 44-year-old professional belly dancer, was convicted of breaching a restraining order against contacting ex-husband Barry.

A court heard she hurled abuse at Mr Holmes-O'Brien's new partner and told his staff and customers he was a paedophile."

The Wrong in Women’s Rights (Part II)
by E. Abdiel

Some may have thought that I plainly stated in Part I of my editorial “THE WRONG IN WOMEN’S RIGHTS” what the correct course of action should be for assigning financial responsibility to men for illegitimate children (If you have not read this, please go to http://news.mensactivism.org/node/11762). Let me make this clear. I did not plainly state it. My intent in writing the original “THE WRONG IN WOMEN’S RIGHTS” is threefold.

Story here. Excerpt:

'A mother who smothered her son with a pillow then left him in her car where he was overcome by exhaust fumes has been released into the community.

Karyn Louise Kemp, 34, admitted responsibility for killing her seven-month-old son Jacob in January last year.

She was found not guilty because of mental incompetence.'

From ACFC's recent newsletter here.

'Gransma Sheila Peltzer left the United States January 21, 2009 for Africa attempting to scale 19,200' Mount Kilimanjaro. She dedicated the climb to Shared Parenting and Familial Dysautonomia. At 4:00 a.m guides awakened Sheila after five days of climbing to prepare for the hike to the summit. At 4:00 p.m., after walking twelve hours her guides suggested she end the effort and return to the base camp. Sheila indicates the air gets thin at 17,500'.

Story here. Excerpt:

'INNOCENT-eyed Alfie Patten spent his first night acting as a 13-year-old dad and declared: “It was easier than I thought.”

The four-footer — who looks no more than eight — said: “I know I’m young, but I plan to be a good dad.”

As he went on the PlayStation with 15-year-old girlfriend Chantelle Steadman, he added: “I think we’ll be good parents. I’ll have to work extra hard at school.”

Chantelle looked up from 18-rated action game Saints Row II to admit her first night out of hospital since having 7lb 3oz daughter Maisie had been tough and had left her “in a daze”.
...
Mickey and Minnie Mouse hold hands, surrounded by lovehearts, on the headboard of her bed — where Maisie was conceived when Alfie was just 12 and Chantelle 14.'

If the girl were 13 and the boy 15, wouldn't he be facing charges right now?

Story here. Excerpt:

'A primary school teacher who bombarded a 14-year-old-boy with sexually explicit text messages was jailed yesterday.

Lynn Walls, 42, befriended the boy after logging on to the interactive fantasy internet game World of Warcraft.
...
She was jailed yesterday for 12 months after a court heard how she left the teenager, now 15, feeling suicidal.
...
She was banned from working with children for life and placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for ten years.'

Here are two things you can do to help male victims of domestic abuse:

1. Sign this petition. Excerpt:

For decades domestic abuse has been looked upon as a social problem of violence against women by men. Battered women's advocates and others concerned about domestic violence have created and funded over 2000 non profit agencies across the country that help victims. For more than 20 years these agencies have specialized in offering a full spectrum of services to what has been considered the traditional victims of domestic violence, women and children.

2. Help the Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women (http://www.dahmw.org/) receive a $5,000 grant. Voting online begins January 19, 2009 through March 2, 2009. To vote online visit http://www.communitymattersmore.com/. We are starting up male victim/survivor support groups in Feb. 2009. Contact us for more information.

Article here. Excerpt:

'Contrary to the nurturing images of sisterhood put forth by chick flicks, female friendships can be a ticking time bomb of fickleness and judgment, according to results of a study in the journal Psychological Science.

Traditional views hold that women are more socially co-operative than men, but researchers from the Universite du Quebec at Montreal, Harvard University and Emmanuel College in Boston found female same-sex friendships are significantly less tolerant, more volatile, and likelier to degrade based on a single negative incident than male same-sex friendships.'

National Men's Health Policy Consultation Forums Announced

The Australian Government has announced the dates for community consultation forums in Tasmania, Sydney and Canberra for its National Men’s Health Policy. We encourage you to circulate this email widely and attend the forum closest to you to let your views about men’s health issues be heard.

Article here. Excerpt:

ABUSED and battered women brave enough to front Gosford Court could do so without help after the Central Coast domestic violence intervention response team handed back its State Government funding.

The dramatic decision followed orders from the Community Services Department for the team to care for male victims of domestic violence at its women’s “safe room” at the courthouse.
The order shocked long-time domestic violence volunteers Pat Gaunt and Kaye Spicer.

The intervention response team has workers at Brisbane Water command police stations who contact victims as soon as possible to guide them through the court process.

The service has successfully operated under the auspices of the domestic violence court assistance scheme for five years.

But after “constant interference” by the department, the management committee unanimously voted to hand back responsibility and funding.

The man claimed that he was given dowry though he did not ask for it. Excerpt:

'A husband facing a dowry case, has sought to turn the tables on his wife and in-laws by filing a case against them alleging that they had given him dowry though he had not asked for the same.

...as per the law, giving dowry is as much a crime as demanding it and hence, attracts equal punishment under Section 3 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.
...
...The judge has ordered the police to investigate the matter and file a first information report (FIR).

This is a first of its kind case in Karnataka where a husband has filed a case against his wife and in-laws for their 'confessional admission' of giving dowry 'reserving his right to defend himself against allegations'.
...
Virat's case is now sure to arm organisations battling for harassed husbands.'
...
In the last few years, several outfits have emerged to fight the injustices being meted out to married men.

No, can't be true. She's *just sooo cute*! =) Story here. Excerpt:

'A 19-year-old Upper Darby woman who was observed on a store surveillance camera singing, "The fire company is going to be mad at me," was arrested and charged with setting seven fires in the township early yesterday.

Amanda Gessner of the 300 block of Childs Avenue was charged with arson, causing or risking catastrophe, criminal mischief, and related charges.

Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said he did not believe Gessner was involved in any of the nearly two dozen arsons that have plagued the Coatesville area.

Gessner was seen at previous fire scenes taking pictures with her cell phone, Upper Darby Deputy Fire Chief John Hicks said. A few weeks ago, she gave firefighters a "hard time" at the Garrettford Station on Edmonds Avenue, Hicks said.'

http://www.cafcusa.org/

"From Ideology to Inclusion 2009: New Directions in Domestic Violence Research and Intervention

Most presenters serve on the editorial board of the new peer-reviewed journal, Partner Abuse, published quarterly by Springer publishing."

Friday-Sunday, June 26-28, 2009 in Los Angeles, CA.

Conference flier here (.pdf file).