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RADAR ALERT: Take Action Today - SAFE Act will Supercharge False Allegations of DV
Submitted by Matt on Mon, 2009-02-23 16:09
Representatives Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) and Ted Poe (R-TX) recently introduced H.R. 739, the SAFE ("Security and Financial Empowerment") Act. If passed the bill will supercharge false allegations of domestic violence by granting lifetime job security to anyone who merely claims to be a victim of DV. By creating powerful incentives to file false claims, the bill trivializes the problem of domestic violence and would marginalize its true victims.
H.R. 739 prohibits an employer from refusing a job to any person who claims to have suffered from domestic violence or "substantial emotional distress or psychological harm" – words that can be interpreted to mean just almost anything. As hard as it is to believe, no hard evidence of domestic violence is required to receive these benefits – the "victim" only has to sign a sworn statement or get a restraining order, and restraining orders are notoriously easy to get because of the low standards of proof and weak definitions of domestic violence. Furthermore, judges are reluctant to deny applications for fear that they'd be blamed if something bad happened following the denial.
A family or household member of the DV "victim" is also entitled to the same benefits. HR 739 also allows any person who "is, has been, or may be the subject of abuse" to qualify for lifetime health insurance coverage. The "victim" would also be entitled to 30 days of emergency leave as well as unemployment compensation. The bill amounts to a lifetime guarantee of job security and availability of employer-subsidized health insurance for any person who claims to be a victim of domestic violence or psychological abuse, or for any family member.
And the person who allegedly inflicted the abuse has no right to refute or appeal the charges. Some readers might wonder if we're exaggerating when we say all this, but we're not – see RADAR's analysis of the bill here (.pdf file).
Suffice it to say, this bill is prime example how VAWA has spun Out of Control.
Rep. Ted Poe's sponsorship of this bill is out of step with his party's stand on economic policy. Please contact his office and ask him to withdraw support for H.R. 739. As always please remember to be polite.
Rep. Ted Poe (R)
Texas, 2nd Congressional District
Phone: 202-225-6565
Fax: 202-225-5547
Webform: http://poe.house.gov/contact/contactform.htm
Over 1 million restraining orders are issued each year in which partner violence is not even alleged. This so-called "SAFE" Act is the last thing we need. Take action today!
P.S. – Our last two alerts targeted the VAWA money in the stimulus bill. Although we were not fully successful in removing the funding, we did succeed in eliminating $75 million from the final package – $325 million instead of $400 million. Thank you for helping expose how VAWA has spiraled out of control because of the lack of an honest debate!
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Date of RADAR Release: February 23, 2009
R.A.D.A.R. – Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting – is a non-profit, non-partisan organization of men and women working to improve the effectiveness of our nation's approach to solving domestic violence. http://www.mediaradar.org/.
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Comments
CHECKMATE!
This, gentlemen, is checkmate.
Should this bill pass, the feminist goal of complete female domination and supremacy becomes a reality. May as well pack your shit and git——back to Mars maybe. Possible? Remember, once VAWA was once considered too outrageous to pass. And note the consistent use of gender-specific language used in the bill. For all intents and purposes, this is the ultimate test of whether the men's movement can defend itself, it's a mating attack.
On a practical note, this stunningly sexist and destructive bill may just be a bargaining chip for the less objectionable but equally sexist Pay Equity Act: you dodge the feminist bullet and are less concerned about the feminist knife. And the timing. Right in the midst of a recession where 4 out of 5 of the recently unemployed are male...and, of course, there's the male education crisis. This is the gender equivalent of the Final Solution.
I know RADAR has a presence on many men's boards but has not gained much traction. This is probably due to their persistence in trying to reform VAWA rather than repeal it. But this bill is HUGE and should prompt a general call to arms. Otherwise, in just ONE generation our ritalinized boys, then adults, will be questioning their peonage, asking, "Wasn't there some sort of Men's Rights Movement when all of this was passed?"
wrap it up to go, and put on a pretty bow
ever noticed how all the handout bills in congress have names
right out of nursery school?
affirmative action - sounds like something good, at first.
violence against women's act (vawa) - gosh, who would guess all the hate in THAT box?
fair pay and equity act - anything BUT!
international marriage broker act (imbra) - sounds innocent enough,
except it ONLY applies to u.s. men. hinders your search for a good foreign wife.
(they can't take any competition. too fair and honest)
all these pretty names show how little respect feminists have for the average person's i.q.
maybe they have something there.
As a woman I am bothered and concerned by this bill
As a woman this bill bothers me. If a man gets "accused" of DV he cannot get a job but a woman can demand a job if she is a "victim". I am a woman and if I am in a working environment where a woman's truly abusive husband is coming to work threatening to blow up the place I don't like the idea of having to sit and take it because she cannot be let go. But,If I get sick and have to take a leave I will get fired!
When will women understand that abuse goes both ways, you cannot knock a guy in the head and when he pushes to defend himself, yell DV. Does this bill go both ways? A man has to hide in ridicule if he dare says he is a victim of domestic violence. Judges, attorney's, and the media are trying to figure out why he deserved it.
I am a woman and I love it. I was raised to respect those around me and not put my hands on people. I was also raised with the idea "if you can dish it than you can take it". It is pitiful that women can call the cops after beating up their mate and get him off no questions asked. I might be one person but this bill should be for both men and women and it cannot come to be until DV laws is made fair and equal!
I'm off my soapbox now
In a nutshell
This bill does for employment what DV already does in custody disputes. Coupled with VAWA and the under-educating of boys, it could make male employment look like female employment did in the '30s. At the very least, fending off this bill will distract from efforts to derail the Pay Equity Act.
I dunno. Maybe the MR movement lacks the sense of urgency to survive.
Im single and have dated my
Im single and have dated my share of poor me victim women and have come to the conclusion a few years ago at age 26, that most women simply have nothing to offer. I'm either "too good" or "too emotionally connected and freak them out", it's stupid. I am willing to bet that none of the women I dated that were empowered by their victim ID will be satisfied untill they get into a relationship with someone who reacts to their subtle taunting in a violent way so they can point their finger and say "see see, Bad man!!".I can't wait for a country to come along and actually want equality, not PC equality AKA "bad out group land". Crap like this makes me question whether my veteran status was even worth it.