Department of Justice statistics show domestic violence (DV) in married, intact couples is only 2%. So why do the public and state legislators believe that partner violence is out of control?

Each year the federal government bankrolls the domestic violence industry to the tune of $1 billion. That money is authorized by the Violence Against Woman Act (VAWA) and other laws.

Much of that money is awarded to state domestic violence coalitions. In at least three cases – New Hampshire, Maine, and West Virginia – these coalitions have denied membership to organizations that proposed to provide domestic violence services to male victims of domestic violence in spite of Section 40002(b)(8) of VAWA 2005 which states, "Nothing in this title shall be construed to prohibit male victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking from receiving benefits and services under this title".

Story here. Excerpt:

'As Mercades Nichols, one of the girls charged in the videotaped beating of a Polk County teen, left jail Friday night, a representative from the Dr. Phil show tried to block the Tampa media from getting shots and asking questions. He keeps repeating 'we have exclusivity!' and directs the family not to answer any questions. Dr. Phil's show put up bail money for Nichols' release.'

Story here. Excerpt:

'NEW YORK — Police say they have arrested a Bronx teacher after she bit an 11-year-old student on the shoulder at the child's elementary school.

Police say the 44-year-old teacher is charged with third-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child. Both are misdemeanors.
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A spokeswoman for the Department of Education says the teacher will be reassigned away from the school and students, pending the outcome of the case.'

Article here.

Apparently if some hyperprotective parent thinks you're looking at their kids, it's about to become a felony in Maine. Excerpt:

'Under the bill, if someone is arrested for viewing children in a public place, it would be a Class D felony if the child is between 12 to 14 years old and a Class C felony if the child is under 12, according to Alexander.

Hill said she believes the move was necessary to correct what she called a "loophole" in the state's criminal law statutes.'

Story here. It seems in New York that despite whatever legal agreements signed and laws passed to moderate the abuse of men (what few there may be) in the context of reproduction, all that matters is that the state find a way to make sure baby-mama doesn't apply for welfare benefits. But if this man is the actual legal father of the child, despite him not being the "biological father" (and the required legal agreement not having been executed prior to her getting inseminated), shouldn't he also be eligible for joint custody-- or even try to get it? Not that it would matter. What happened here is that baby-mama wanted to have a kid and wanted to be sure her estranged soon-to-be-ex-husband got stuck with the bill. And, it worked. You go, girl!

Excerpt:

Story here. Excerpt:

'A St. Louis police officer sued a woman on Friday who he says falsely accused him of having sex and doing drugs at a restaurant where he was working a second job as security officer

Michael Haman, 44, a patrol officer in the department's 2nd District, says a St. Louis police internal affairs investigation cleared him of the accusation.

Now he seeks $75,000 from Cassandra Harris, 27, of St. Louis. Harris could not be reached for comment Friday. She has not been charged with a crime in connection with any accusation.
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Haman works security at Johnny Gitto's restaurant, 6997 Chippewa Street. The night of Feb. 26, Harris was an unruly customer whom he escorted from the premises, the suit says.

She called 911 later to report Haman was having sex and doing drugs in the restroom, touching off an internal investigation that left Haman feeling humiliated, the suit says.'

Show page here. It's the third segment down, "Women and the Workforce".

"For decades, women made less money than men, even as they began to make up a bigger part of the workforce. These days, there's debate about whether that wage gap still exists, with some experts arguing that young women in big cities now make more than their male counterparts. But others say wage disparities are merely more insidious than in the past. Join Kojo as we look at wages, the work-life balance, and other issues confronting women in the modern workplace."

Story here. Excerpt:

"Florida is among 28 states that have no compensation system for the wrongfully imprisoned. "If you're a convicted felon, when you finish your sentence they give you $100 cash and a bus ticket when you leave prison," said Michael Olenick, one of Crotzer's attorneys. "But if you've been wrongly convicted and they let you out, you don't get $100 or the bus ticket."

It's up to wronged individuals to lobby the Legislature for compensation, an inconsistent and maddening process. Last year, the Senate didn't take up Crotzer's claims bill. So far, only one of Florida's nine DNA-exonerated inmates, Wilton Dedge, has gotten a claims bill passed ($2 million in 2005).

A less capricious system could soon arrive, with the Legislature considering a broader bill (HB1025) that would set an automatic process for the wrongfully convicted. It would cap payment at $50,000 per year of imprisonment or $2 million."

Story here. Excerpt:

"The Virginia Department of Education reported that 255 elementary students were suspended last year for offensive sexual touching, or "improper physical contact against a student." In Maryland, 166 elementary school children were suspended last year for sexual harassment, including three preschoolers, 16 kindergartners and 22 first-graders, according to the State Department of Education. Statistics for the District were not available.

In 2006, a kindergartner in Hagerstown, Md., was accused of sexual harassment after pinching a female classmate's buttocks. A 4-year-old in Texas was given an in-school suspension after a teacher's aide accused him of sexual harassment for pressing his face into her breasts when he hugged her.

Story here. Excerpt:

'A SOUTH Australian politician, a female one at that, suggests women should sign a contract before sex to combat false rape allegations.
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Ms Bressington says sex contracts may be necessary to protect men if proposed new laws are passed in her state.

On ABC radio last week she said: "This Bill makes men guilty until proven innocent and they will have no defence."
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She said these contracts could also contain personal details, such as the woman's address and licence number, as well as her marital status and whether she has children.
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This is the silliest piece of legislation I have encountered. Ms Bressington's suggestion misses the point that women are the vulnerable ones here.'

Story here. Excerpt:

'A 14-year-old schoolgirl has escaped being prosecuted after she falsely claimed a man brutally raped her as she walked home from school.

Now the fuming man, Cleveland Kennedy, intends to take out a private prosecution against her after being wrongly labelled a paedophile.
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After the 'attack', terrified Mr Kennedy was arrested and kept in a special sex offender protection unit in prison on remand for 75 days.

Meanwhile as a 'treat', his accuser was taken abroad on holiday to get over her 'ordeal.' But then she agreed she had made it all up.

However, the CPS ruled the girl should be given a final warning after a police investigation that she had perverted the course of justice, leaving Mr Kennedy furious.

Story here. Excerpt:

'A woman already charged with sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy now faces a second charge involving a different boy.

Sabrina Marie Simpson, also listed in police records as Sabrina Murphy, was in jail Friday, under bonds totaling $500,000.
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The new charge stems from claims by an island boy, 14, that Murphy drove him to East Beach and performed at least two sex acts with him, according to the affidavit used to obtain an arrest warrant.
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In that case, Simpson faces a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child, which carries a possible prison term of five to 99 years, as well as a fine of up to $10,000.
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Police said the investigation was ongoing and that more charges could be coming.'

Remember this one from 2006? The suspects are currently on trial. Video report here.

Story here. Excerpt:

'Florida police say they've found their ninja robber, and she is a 55-year-old mother and former nursing assistant.

Betty Hudson was charged Wednesday with armed robbery after police said DNA on a ninja-like mask linked her to two bank robberies in central Florida, MyFOXOrlando.com reported.
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Hudson already was in jail on earlier robbery charges accusing her of robbing a bank in Gainesville, Fla., using the same disguise, the station reported.'

I found this article from the Rocky Mountain News. I wish more news services would do as this one does. A great article, must read. Excerpt:

'By now, our young man had rented a nice house in a nice neighborhood, a home for the girls, and petitioned for custody. The Judge in his wisdom denied the petition, denied additional time in the summer months, and raised the child support.

In court this mother bragged about the fact that she lives essentially rent free in this house, is on food stamps and LEAP for propane and meets every other need with his child support (the father of the teenager is unknown and she receives no support from the father of the baby) there is another teenage son who lives with his father and spends summers with them, presumably also sharing that one bedroom. She proudly proclaimed that she stays home 24 hrs a day with her children.'