The Rights Of Man

SICKENING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MURDER AND TORTURE CASE

Last month saw one of the most sickening domestic violence cases I've ever come across. You may well have missed the story given the relative lack of coverage it received in the media, undoubtedly it would certainly be be front page material if the victim were female. The case involved Clare Nicolls torturing her partner Andrew Gardner ove several week, eventually resulting in his murder.

Although she was assisted by others, it's clear from the sentencing and evidence that she was the primary offender in the case and the dominant figure in the household. There's such a huge catalogue of abuses the victim suffered that I can't really include them all and you have to read several news articles to get something close to the full picture. In summary Mr Gardner:

• Had 100 injuries including 21 broken ribs, burns, cuts, abrasions, a massive head injury, bleeding on the brain and blood poisoning.
• Suffered whipping and cuts with a knife.
• Had karate practised on him by Nicholls.
• Was marked as a result of people playing horrific games of noughts on crosses on his body.
• Had abuse written on his body using nail varnish.
• Suffered starvation and further beatings any time he tried to "steal food".
• Was deprived of sleep, being beaten any time he should fall asleep.

Any time gender feminists seeks to belittle and refuse to help male domestic violence victims I strongly suggest referring to cases such as this. Of particular note is the fact Nichols actually got other members of the household to restrain the victim whilst she carried out the beatings. In fact, she even encouraged their children to attack the victim too!

The only good news from the case case is that Nicolls actually received a sizeable life sentence for her deeds as opposed to the usual female sentencing discount we see all to often in such cases. Of course not everything is equal though - there are no quotes from any domestic violence charities in any of the coverage as would occur with your typical female victim, and the term "domestic violence" is of course totally omitted from ant articles on the case.

It's little wonder we fail to help people such as Mr Gardner when the term "domestic violence" is strictly reserved for female vicitms.

Clare Nicholls has admitted killing 35-year-old

Court told of lover's words after final attack

Torture victim had 100 injuries, court told

Life sentences for Chilton torture murderers

WE'RE BACK, THOUGH WITH A FEW CHANGES

Apologies to regular readers for the lack of updates recently.

The founder of The Rights of Man is taking some time off from blogging, so I've agreed to keep things ticking over here until his return.

There shouldn't be too many differences in our style. I don't think I'll be able to dig up quite as many enlightening stories relating to the inequalties faced by men as occurred here on such a regular basis. However, I'll be looking to examine the most important issues and news items in even more depth where possible.

Thanks for all the support and comments.

John Kimble

RECESSION AFFECTS MEN MORE THAN WOMEN - EQUALITIES COMMISSION CANNOT BRING THEMSELVES TO SAY IT

Remember back in 2009, we had our Deputy Prime Minister Harriet Harman declaring that the biggest victims of the recession were women, which was debunked by all and sundry. The pity the media did not ask her to prove it exactly at the time she was saying it and it took a little while for the facts to emerge. Funny how she no longer persists with the line.

However, the Government's Equalities Office and Equalities and Human Rights Commission are never one to stop flogging a dead horse even when they know the facts don't stand up. Perish the thought that the Commission might one day say that x, y or z affected men more than women, that would be go against their Orwellian mantra '"Everyone is equal but some people are more equal than others."

Their latest report, even though clearly showing that male employment has fallen by 2.7% compared to 0.8% for women, does not say a jot about the plight of these men (and of course their wives or female partner), it just concentrates on the female angle even to the point of saying (page 26):

Over the longer-term, the rise in women’s employment is a clear triumph for women’s greater autonomy at the expense of both discrimination and disadvantage. But recessions reduce autonomy by reducing the options available to some women and by forcing others into choices that they might not otherwise make. And recessions also render many women more vulnerable to both discrimination and disadvantage.

Where is the evidence for this and a failure to say that "recessions reduce autonomy for men by reducing the options available" is an outstanding piece of wilful and conscious piece of purposely ignoring the impact on men.

One of the main reasons female employment has not fallen as swiftly as male employment is that many women work in the public sector which so far has not been impacted as much as the private sector. So what about the fact that there are fewer men (teachers, health, social services etc) in the public sector, is that not discrimination and disadvantage as well? I would suggest not particularly (except in teaching) as many men do not want to work in the public sector but if they make the point about women then on the same basis they should do about men.

They do not of course, the report just exposes their bias and proves they only look through female eyes and not one male eye and one female eye which they are meant do.

The Policy Exchange think-tank said the recession had meant that it was a Full-Monty recession affecting more men than women. No spin just facts. 

WILL 2010 BE THE YEAR OF EQUALITY FOR BRITISH MEN?

As a new year starts, it is worth reviewing the events of the past year and look forward to 2010 to see what hope there is for male equality in 2010.

2009 was a mixed bag. We had the awfulness of the Equalities Bill trundling through Parliament allowing men to be discriminated in the workplace and the recession taking its toll in increasing male unemployment (and the associated depression), particularly damaging for young men who cannot get on the job ladder and hampered by their lack of academic achievement at all levels compared to women. The Coalition on Men and Boys produced an awful paper that basically said that men are bad and are to blame for everything that affects them.

We had the continuing and wilful ignorance of male issues from the Labour Government and its acolytes at the Equalities and Human Rights Commission. In fact, both organisations did all they could spin the myths that women were more affected by the recession, that the Gender Pay Gap was leading to more discrimination against women and the refusal to accept that men are also affected by domestic violence.

On the other hand, there has been a greater awareness of the issues affecting men. The Men's Health Forum continue their good work (with others in the prostate cancer field), Families Need Fathers have opened up new centres with a growing recognition of the bias of the family courts and the ManKind Initiative speaking with more authority on the plight of male victims of domestic violence. The NPSCC also produced some authoritative work showing that abuse at home affected boys as well as girls highlighting that mothers were as involved in this than just fathers.

We also have seen what I would call an epidemic in the numbers of women falsely accusing men of rape, a concern for the men accused as well as those poor women who are attacked.  

But does 2010 bring any hope?

The only answer that can be offered is that it may do and this is dependent in large measure to the result of the General Election.

The odds are that it looks like a hung Parliament or a small Conservative majority. Whatever happens, as long as Labour, the most anti-male Government in the history of the United Kingdom, are turfed out then that has to be something positive. In addition, this will tend to allow a change in the mindset of the civil service and other public servants to one based on genuine equality not on Labour's and the Equalities Commission's Animal Farm meaning of Equality ("everyone is equal but some are more equal than otehrs") .

We can hope that the recession ends and that men (and women) can find themselves back in work. We can hope that family law reforms such as a presumption fo share parenting come to fruition and that the needs of men in education, health and domestic violence find themselves higher up the political agenda. The need for a Minister for Men (if there is to be the continuation of a Minister for Women) should be at the very least the first step (this site will be updating its manifesto this month).

We really do need some politicians especially female politicians (they are mothers, sisters and wives to men) taking the lead on this. With so many new politicians coming into Parliament whoever wins, let us hope so.

There is a risk of course that David Cameron as part of his touchy feely positioning continues to only concentrate on the needs of women and not on men. He has not made a good start with the threat of using All-Women short lists.

Whatever happens, groups wanting genuine equality for men will continue to fight and express their views, we hope that in 2010, politicians and public servants actually make the changes necessary. We just have to keep going and hope that the plight of British Men starts to receive the recognition needed. Now that would be EQUALITY.

FACELESS BUREAUCRATS AT CSA TAKEN ON BY DAUGHTER

Just to start the New Year in good style, enter the Byzantine mindset of the CSA/CMEC as outlined in this story in the Daily Mail.

FAMILY COURTS - NOTHING CHANGED IN 2009

The issue of the continuing injustice and anti-father bias of the family courts will have been on the minds of many this Christmas as hundreds of thousands of men will have had limited or no access to their children over the period.

The story continues to play out in some parts of the media and Sir Bob Geldof has continued to play his heroic role during 2009.

The Custody Minefield organisation's Relocation campaign (with Sir Bob's foreword) highlights the problem clearly where the courts do not have the interests of the children at heart (they need both parents involved in their lives) and are more interested in ensuring that men are banished and refuse to enforce contact orders.

The issue is covered in two articles where Sir Bob accuses the family courts as 'state sponsored kidnappers' (Telegraph, Daily Mail). Some further sage comments in The Telegraph and certainly in the comments section on the Telegraph debate. An example of what happens can be found here and here.

An Early Day Motion by David McClean MP sets out the issue and Sir Mark Potter 'El Presidente' of the Family Courts Division sets out his "you're all wrong" response here. John Hemming MP has also laid down an Early Day Motion over further secrecy concerns in the proposed Children, Schools and Families Bill.

With the much trumpeted and failed attempt to open up the courts, 2009 has meant a further tragic year of misery for many fathers and the children who want to see and be with their children. We can only hope that in 2010 it will change though it will need a change in Government to make it happen.

SIGN THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT DOMESTIC ABUSE PETITION CALLING FOR EQUAL TREATMENT FOR SCOTTISH MEN

Two Scottish women, Alison Waugh and Jackie Walls, have put down a petition in the Scottish Parliament calling for:-

 "Scottish Government to ensure that all publicly funded action (campaigns, publications, action plans, projects, training programmes, etc.) on domestic abuse/violence are overhauled to fully acknowledge the extent to which men are at the receiving end and to address the needs of male victims and their children."

Please sign and please send to anyone you know from Scotland to sign.

This is crucial given the fact that the Scottish Government's latest figures show a clear need for support for male victims of domestic abuse and domestic violence in Scotland

In addition, there is also a new web-site called Men in Scotland on the issue.

DOES JUDGE ESMOND FAULKS THINK HUSBAND BEATERS SHOULD BE PARADED IN THE STREETS?

Judge Esmond Faulks believes that wife-beaters should be paraded in the streets and pelted with rotten vegetables. Not much argument there.

However, it is hard to imagine him saying the same if he was convicted a wife of beating her husband.

The comments in the Daily Mail article make the point.

FALSE RAPE ACCUSATIONS IN SCOTLAND

I know the theme of the site has recently had a Scottish flavour but news is news wherever the source.

One of the key trends in 2009 has been what I can say is an epidemic of false rape accusations.

In Scotland, this poor poor chap spent 2 and a half years behind bars for the crime but has now been freed and then in Moray this lady gets community service.

SCOTLAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND SHOW INCREASE IN MALE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE

With the media and politics continuing to be very London/England-centric, it is important to remember that Scotland, Northern Ireland and sometimes Wales produce their own independent figures.

Figures over the past few months on domestic abuse in Northern Ireland and Scotland show that there is continuing to be an increase in male victims of domestic abuse. In Northern Ireland there is at least the Men's Advisory Project supported by funding from the Government and others but in Scotland the Government refuses to provide such help. 

Below is a summary of the figures from both Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Scotland

Partner Abuse

The Scottish Government's Partner Abuse survey showed that 5% of both men and women had suffered partner abuse in 2008/09 (page 1).

Since the age of 16, 21% of women said they had been a victim compared to 15% of men. Therefore 42% of victims in Scotland are male (page 10)

73% of women and 71% of men had suffered physical abuse since the age of 16 (page 14).

40% of men had not, as opposed to 21% women (page 2), reported the partner abuse they were suffering. This confirms that men are twice as likely to under-report the partner abuse they are suffering from than women.

35% of women had made the police aware of the latest incident as opposed to 8% of men (page 3)

Domestic Abuse Incidents

Last year, this site reported the growing incidence of domestic abuse against men in Scotland and how shameful it was that the Scottish Government was continually to turn a blind eye to the problem. This was because they offered no specialist services to male victims and had no intention of doing so, instead they just recognise female victims.

Incident figures (report and press release) for 2008/09 show an 8% increase in domestic abuse across the board (53,000 reported incidents).

For men:-

14% of all domestic abuse incidents are carried out on men, a 75% increase from the 8% figure reported in 2000/01 (see page 5)

There are now 2 and a half times the number of incidents against male victims then there was at the beginning of the decade. An increase from 2,873 in 2000/01 to 7,908 on 2008/09 (page 14). In addition, the number of incidents in 2007/08 was 6,753 so there has been a large increase over the year.

25-30 year old men were more likely to be a victim than any other male age group (page 6 and page 20). This certainly reflects the continuing increase in violent young women, many of whom will be taking their abusive behaviour home to their husband or boyfriend.

Female are more likely to perpetrate domestic abuse against another women than a man on another man (page 15)

Of course, the 14% figure is still far too low as these figures are based on reported incidents and do not take into account the severity of an incident nor the fact that so few men come forward. The level of under-reporting by male victims is greater than that of female victims. Not just because of the issues of pride and shame but also because the Scottish Government refuses to run any publicity campaigns encouraging male victims to come forward. The figures collated by the ManKind Initiative from the anonymous British Crime Survey give a more accurate picture where the figure is c40% as does the partner abuse survey outlined above.

Stalking

The Scottish Government also produced figures on stalking which showed that 6% of women and men were victims of stalking in 2008/09 (page 1).

Whilst females reporting sexual assault said that 96% of the perpetrators were male, those men who said they were sexually assaulted said that 48% of the perpetrators were male but 40% were female. A concept only recently emerging into the public spotlight.

Northern Ireland

The police in Northern Ireland also reported the gender breakdown of victims within their country.

The figures (table 2.4) showed that in 2008/09 there were 1,834 reported male victims (1,773 in 2007/08) and 5,436 (5,621) female victims. This shows an increase of 3% in male victims and a 3% fall in female victims.