The Sunshine Coast Daily reported on a horrific case of domestic violence yesterday.
A man (who cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity) refused to accept his partner’s decision to leave him and made the choice to commit a range of serious assaults against her.
He terrorise her for three days. He raped her, assaulted her, rammed her with his car, broke into her house, destroyed her property, stole her dog and threatened to kill it if she didn’t withdraw rape charges against him.
And yet, despite all these vicious crimes, he is completely absent from the headline. The woman is there, the crimes are there, but he is not.
She didn’t make the choice to commit these crimes. He did.
Recognising the truth of men’s violence against women requires an explicit acknowledgement that men are in fact committing these crimes. This man was was convicted of 12 charges related to domestic violence and sentenced to seven years in prison.
He was not invisible when he committed those crimes, he should not be invisible when the crimes he committed are reported to the public.
FixedIt is an ongoing project to push back against the media’s constant erasure of violent men and blaming of innocent victims. If you would like to help fund it – even $5 a month makes a big difference – please consider becoming a Patron
AUSTRALIAN HELPLINES
1800 RESPECT
Sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling and support.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ph: 1800 737 732
www.1800respect.org.au
Suicide Call Back Service
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ph: 1300 659 467
www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
Kids Helpline
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Phone: 1800 55 1800
www.kidshelp.com.au
MensLine Australia
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Phone: 1300 78 99 78
www.mensline.org.au
Child Wise National Abuse Helpline
Mon-Fri: 9 am – 5 pm
Ph: 1800 99 10 99
www.childwise.org.au
