Feminists say anti-violence law victimizes women

Article here. Excerpt:

'Some social conservatives, meanwhile, argue that VAWA and other domestic violence legislation are ideologically driven, presuming that patriarchy and sexism are the cause of domestic violence. That presupposition undermines various civil rights, including access to due process and equal treatment under the law.

For example, Stephen Baskerville, author of Taken Into Custody: The War Against Fathers, Marriage, and the Family, said mandatory arrest laws encourage women involved in divorce and custody disputes to level false allegations of abuse.

The police will come “to take her husband away, and [she need only] say, ‘I’m in fear,’” he said. The husband, meanwhile, faces possible prison time or weeks of classes on how to treat women. “Why do we need special laws [for domestic violence]?” he asked. “So we can bypass the due process laws.”

Ed Bartlett, president of SAVE, Stop Abusive and Violent Environments, said he would support VAWA with changes, such as restoring “the presumption of innocence to the accused.” He also believes that VAWA needs to better define domestic violence, claiming, “because of expansive and vague definitions, minor incidents of partner conflict are being criminalized.”'