Washington Times
- Letter to the Editor
Hans Bader
Washington Times
July 22, 2005
Dear Editor,
Gordon E. Finley rightly argues that the federal government
should stop excluding male victims from protection under the
Violence Against Women Act. ("Fatal flaws: VAWA 2005,"
Commentary, Tuesday http://www.washingtontimes.com/commentary/20050718-092251-1716r.htm).
Data from the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics shows that
members of both sexes suffer from domestic violence, yet the
criminal justice system does not take domestic violence
against men seriously. For example, the average sentence for
an unprovoked killing of a husband is just seven years,
compared to 17 years for the killing of a wife.
Allowing male victims to benefit from programs under VAWA not
only would end unfair sex discrimination, but also would allow
federal funds to address an area where society's response to
domestic violence is most in need of improvement.
Hans Bader
Arlington, Virginia
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