RADAR ALERT: Women Denounce the UN Violence Study

Last month the UN issued its Study on Violence Against Women: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/vaw.

To say this study is flawed is a huge understatement. Now, women around the world are speaking out against this report.

Over the last two weeks, we have contacted our UN delegations, voicing our concerns. This week, we increase our request, asking Ambassador Bolton to make a public statement to the Third Committee denouncing the report.

Send an e-mail (usa-at-un.int) or fax (1-212-415-4443) to Ambassador Bolton. Here’s the message – feel free to modify as appropriate:

Dear Ambassador Bolton:

I am writing about the recent Secretary-General Study on Violence Against Women. Women around the world are saying this report is extremely flawed and will never solve the problem of domestic violence:

Terri Lynn Tersak, president and CEO of the True Equality Network, says

“While the UN report purports to be an ‘in-depth study,’ it ignores the failings of the current system. Many severely-abused victims discover to their surprise that trivial and false claims are consuming the resources that should be going to those most in need.”

Kris Titus of Fathers 4 Justice of Canada observes,

“Over 8 years ago I was told by a shelter worker I was lucky my boys were not 12 years old, because they would then be considered potential perpetrators and not able to stay in the shelter with me. Until we stop looking at this issue through gender specific-glasses, we will never solve it. A broken nose is a broken nose whether it’s on a man or a woman.”

Mary Cleary of AMEN (Abused Men) notes,

“AMEN, the lead organisation in Ireland dealing with male victims of domestic abuse, rejects the anti-man bias in the UN Report/Study on Violence Against Women. The basic presumptions of the report are contradicted by every independent study on domestic violence which show that men and women are both victims and perpetrators in almost equal numbers. The United Nations are, obviously, mis-informed on this matter.”

The Secretary-General’s report is rooted in a radical gender ideology. It is deeply flawed in its assumptions, methods, and conclusions. By ignoring the problem of physically abusive women, it will never solve, and may actually worsen, the problem of domestic violence. If the report is welcomed and implemented, that will give rise to false allegations of abuse and violate the civil rights of men. This will ultimately cause profound damage to families and children.

I am writing to urge you to make a Statement to the UN Third Committee, expressing your strong reservations about this harmful report.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

[your name and address]

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Date of RADAR Release: November 9, 2006

The UN Resolution Coalition is an alliance of over 110 organizations located in 13 countries that are supporting the Resolution Regarding the UN Study on Violence Against Women: http://www.mediaradar.org/docs/UN-ViolenceReport-Resolution.pdf.

R.A.D.A.R. – Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting – is a non-profit, non-partisan organization of men and women working to assure that the problem of domestic violence is treated in a balanced and effective manner. http://www.mediaradar.org/.