Ayinde O. Chase recently wrote an article about the shocking prevalence of false allegations of domestic violence in the United States. Here’s an excerpt:
A new report released on Monday sheds some light on an alarming issue. Over one million false allegations of domestic violence are filed each year. The accusations usually stem from a family break-up and the removal of children from their parents
“A Culture of False Allegations: How VAWA Harms Families and Children” outlines how the Violence Against Women Act defines “domestic violence” in broad terms. The definition spawned over one million claims of domestic “violence” each year in which physical violence is not even alleged.
Elaine Epstein, former president of the Massachusetts Bar Association, says “Everyone knows that restraining orders and orders to vacate are granted to virtually all who apply… In many cases, allegations of abuse are now used for tactical advantage.”
This is the view that even if there had been no violence, then the fear of violence would be sufficient to deny contact with the child(ren). Such fear is usually discussed as from the father on the mother, though violence in both directions is of about equal frequency.
As a result, children often lose daily contact with one of their parents.
Sadly, the report shows how children who grow up in a single-parent home are greater risk of child abuse, academic failure, and a broad range of social pathologies.
I find this news very scary, not only for the sake of the falsely accused parents, but also for the victims of domestic abuse. Now society and law enforcement have to waste resources sifting through false allegations to deal with the actual incidences of domestic violence. While psychologically-damaged and physically-hurt women suffer in abusive households, the state must waste its resources appeasing vindictive non-victims who take advantage of the legal system. Let alone the victims of false allegations who may pay undue consequences such as losing custody of or visiting rights to their kids!
What do you think?
Friday, March 23rd 2007 at 6:30 pm
Oh sorry let me clear that up.In NC where I live, a woman can make almost any claim,against a man
almost anything, and the Judges, don’t hardly even seem to listen to the man.. Here is where the real problem is, the plaintif is the one who is actualy threatening to the child, but because of court issued restraining orders,(which aparently do not require any investigation) the actual “safe parent”
is not able to provide the kid with a safe stable enviroment, even for part of the time. This whole experiance was soured me aginst our entire Legal system, I am joining the ACLU, something I never would have thought of doing before.I have been telling everyone men and women, be sure to protect yourself. Do not ever alow your self to be alone with someone who can profit by unjustly acusing you. It is just too easy for them and too hard to get any kind of justice.
Friday, March 23rd 2007 at 6:22 pm
In NC where I live, a woman can claim,
almost anything, and the Judges, don’t hardly even seem to listen. Here is where the real problem is, the plaintif is the one who is actualy threatening to the child, but because of court issued restraining orders,(which aparently do not require any investigation) the actual “safe parent”
is not able to provide the childe witha safe atable enviroment, even for part of the time.
Tuesday, January 30th 2007 at 2:35 pm
This is not shocking. This is a common tactic, just like false allegation of rape. It’s just another example of bad law making things worse instead of better.
Any time laws like the VAWA are proposed, they should contemplate the ways in which the law can be perverted for “tactical benefit”, since it inevitably will be. Or maybe that was the whole point?
The VAWA is garbage. It is another legislative smokescreen designed to make people feel better without actually solving any problems.
This absurd law, which even the ACLU called “troubling” and “repugnant”, is a disgusting, unconstitutional attempt to make a show of protecting people. People that they otherwise do their damnedest to try to disarm and prevent from actually taking effective self defense measures.