NSW: Family law specialist condemns magistrate s comments

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-1999
NSW: Family law specialist condemns magistrate s comments

SYDNEY, Aug 30 AAP - Domestic violence lawyers today condemned a magistrate who blamed
"nagging, bitching" women for provoking domestic violence.

The magistrate was one of 122 asked to take part in a Judicial Commission of New South
Wales report on apprehended violence orders (AVOs).

It said the magistrate was among "a number of respondents" who thought women triggered
violence in family disputes.

"Hallelujah. Women cause a lot of problems by nagging, bitching and emotionally hurting
men," the magistrate said.

"Men cannot bitch back, for hormonal reasons, and often have no recourse but violence."

"The widespread notion that men are inarticulate is an urban myth propagated by feminists -
anger and hurt is what hampers self-expression, not inability to formulate simple sentences,"
he said.

But the comment sparked widespread criticism from domestic violence workers.

Family lawyer Jenny Boland said there was evidence men were the main perpetrators in
domestic violence cases.

"The overwhelming statistics which come from reputable authorities show the majority of
perpetrators in domestic violence cases are men, and that's a fact," Ms Boland said.

However, Ms Boland said she wanted to know the context of the magistrate's controversial
comment before commenting further.

Family law specialist Dinah Goddard, who works for the Domestic Violence Legal Help
Service, said she believed the magistrate had been disciplined for the comment.

"These comments do none of us a service," she said.

NSW Community Services Minister Faye Lo Po said a domestic violence education program for
judges and magistrates was being set up by the government to stamp out "scapegoating".

"If I was a women fronting up to a magistrate today, I would be very nervous, it's a worry
for all women, in fact," she said.

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