To provide an insight of my travels through the Alberta human rights process
To provide others with encouragement to submit their own human rights complaint
To provide others with a template, direction, information and encouragement through a difficult path
To provide some history on the issues facing men, fathers and male victims of female perpetrated domestic violence
Why Human Rights Complaint?
There is no cost involved
It is part of the process available to every person in the country
It is your right
The more people who file complaints the more attention to the issues involved
This site will be fluid with questions and answers. People who ask a question will have their question and the answer added to the site anonymously.
I will provide personal experiences and insights into what I learned as well as providing points of view on the process.
These personal experiences will provide the reader with the information and education on submitting their own complaint and add to the information for men on how to deal with some of the issues they face.
The original human rights complaint filed against Alberta Children and Youth Services; filed March 21, 2006.
The essence of the human rights complaint is based on the fact that gender symmetry exists between male and female victims as well as male and female perpetrators, but there is a lack of domestic violence support services available to male victims of female perpetrated domestic violence which are available to the rest of the population in Alberta.
Various departments of the Government of Alberta and Ministers have chosen not to recognize the male (gender) issues of male victims of female perpetrated domestic violence therefore not affording me, and others, the opportunity to heal from the pain and suffering endured as a male victim of female perpetrated domestic violence. The negative attitude towards me is a real result of PTSD. Therefore, if the issues of male victims of female perpetrated domestic violence had equal respect to other groups of victims of domestic violence the government would not be bothered by my persistence.
The lack of domestic violence services for men, which domestic violence services to other groups of victims of domestic violence are available in our community, but is still not available for male victims of female perpetrated domestic violence which caused the circumstances that lead to the dismissal.
If I was a woman, gay, transsexual or transgender I would be able to find funded services and funding I require in the community.
A (lesbian) female victim of female perpetrated domestic violence is able to find resources and support in the community, but because I am a heterosexual male victim of female perpetrated domestic violence I am unable to find any resources therefore I am being discriminated due to my gender and sexual preference. The vast, if not all, research done on the topic of family violence indicates that both men and women are equally violent towards their partner, whether heterosexual partners, gay partners or lesbian partners the victims are virtually the same.
Website and publications only focus on female victims of domestic violence giving the impression that women are victims and men are not victims of female perpetrated domestic violence. The plethora of “women focus” has developed into misandry. Misandry may be defined as the hatred, vilification, persecution, and prosecution of men; all of which can be demonstrated in conjunction to the gender discrimination.
While there are many of examples of gender discrimination will be discussed, only a brief description will be provided.
Roundtable on Family Violence was formatted where I and other men were discriminated based on gender by not being able to submit papers, not part of the various management groups and the feeling of being ignored.
There are Issues with the World conference on Family Violence 2005 which was set in a manner that only misandrist information was provided and no balance was considered to be valid.
While Jan Reimer, my gender equal, is allowed to participate in meetings with the Minister; my request to verify whether the Minister was honouring her commitment to meet with me in July 2005 still has not be answered. Whereas Ms. Reimer receives income for her work the Ministry does not have any equivalent funded positions for males and me.
This is the response to the originating complaint against Alberta Children's Services completed by the Deputy Minister Maria David-Evans, August 17, 2006.
By reading the response you can understand their prespectives, myth beliefs and endless unsupported personal opinions.
REFERENCES EXAMINING ASSAULTS BY WOMEN ON THEIR SPOUSES OR MALE PARTNERS:
AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Martin S. Fiebert
Department of Psychology
California State University, Long Beach
Last updated: July 2010
SUMMARY: This bibliography examines 275 scholarly investigations: 214 empirical studies and 61 reviews and/or analyses, which demonstrate that women are as physically aggressive, or more aggressive, than men in their relationships with their spouses or male partners. The aggregate sample size in the reviewed studies exceeds 365,000.
ASMAC has two models to follow to make it successful; the first model is the Alberta Status of Women Action Committee and the second model is from the State of New Hampshire.
The Alberta Status of Women Action Committee was a provincial committee that looked into the needs of women by having community meetings with women in the province. The committee also met with the services and agency providers available to the women. By comparing the needs that women were looking for and those available services by the agencies the Committee was able to recommend new services that filled in the "gap" of missing services. By asking the women and the agencies there was a comprehensive outcome.
The concept of ASMAC is similar in content and context and follows in footsteps of the Alberta Status of Women Action Committee. There has never been any research into the needs of men and fathers in the Province. There rests with the myth that men can take care of themselves and do not need any comprehensive support services. If the myth were true we would not see that 80% of the victims of suicide are men, that men live shorter lives than women, more males are not completing high school, that less men are entering into universities and colleges, more than 80% of the homeless are men, the lack of specific father services that women can find as mothers, judicial gender bias found against men and the lack of domestic violence support services.
The Government of Canada 2000 report on the family demonstrates that in Alberta 11% of women and 9% of men were victims of their partners' abuse. While there are 42 women shelters in Alberta there is not a single bed reserved for a man or a father and children. This issue alone speaks loudly on the need and issue of providing family violence services for men and fathers. What kinds of services are needed for men? The answer to the question is not known because there has never been a needs assessment study done on the behalf of men and fathers.
ASMAC is the needs assessment apparatus to insure that the men in Alberta are receiving the services and facilities to assist them in their life journey. While the MASH4*4077 is a holistic approach to the issues by focusing on the personal health support of an individual, there is no measurable quantitative or qualitative study that measures men's needs.
The State of New Hampshire has initiated Commission on the Status of Men. The Commission is the assessment apparatus by comparing the needs that men are looking for and those available services and facilities supplied by agencies. The outcome of the committee assessment will recommend new services that will fill in the "gap" of missing services.
Commission on the Status of Men New Hampshire
Mission Statement
The mission of the New Hampshire Commission on the Status of Men:
To examine issues and effects of cultural biases and stereotyping, beginning with childhood experiences and progress in public schools, and extending to adult concerns such as family relations.
To promote education and policies which bring fathers and children closer together, with an emphasis on the importance of the role of the father in child development.
To examine physical and mental health problems unique to, or predominantly affecting men, including a study of male suicide, and make appropriate recommendations.
To promote initiatives, programs and incentives that will enable men to continue their education and develop family and career skills to improve their ability to be productive and responsible citizens.
The Commission was established by the New Hampshire legislature in 2002, as described in RSA 19-I.
Original_complaint.pdf [725.9K]