The issue around Domestic Abuse is always a difficult subject to raise, but we have to say it like it is.
DA can happen to anyone, whatever their age, whatever their gender.
Most of us will have seen images of a cowering female covered by the shadow of a male apparently about to hit her, but the truth is that DA is not, and never has been a gender specific, unfortunately most women’s groups would have you believe that it is only woman that suffer from DA. In fact if you dare suggest that men are also victims you will get abuse, threats and general vitriol.
I have just watched a video, which is very powerful and very difficult to watch. Be warned.
https://vimeo.com/84567082?fbclid=IwAR1xIhx-A-reeLATzOslwNJNpvPIQZRW0C-pW14MX0HZ4ZeRQx37zynFtVQ
The females amongst us who are reading this, I have no doubt in their time have encountered violent and abusive women, women sadly can be incredibly cruel.
Absolutely not the gentler sex.
As I say at the beginning the truth is that DA is totally unacceptable regardless of who is causing it, but I feel strongly that we must be honest and to acknowledge that men and women can be violent.
We must never forget that there is someone else who is a victim.
The children who witness one of their parents being violent towards the other parent, are traumatised by these events, and are often forgotten.
Children grow up thinking that this is normal behaviour, that it is ok, and will continue this unhealthy behaviour perhaps in their own relationships.
Operation Encompass does an amazing job working with schools and Police Authorities, to make sure these children have a safe, key adult in their school they can go to.
https://www.operationencompass.org/
Whenever we talk about DA, we must take gender out of our discussions and encourage others to do the same.
