Thursday, February 10, 2011

In the Melinda Stratton vs. Ken Thompson child abuse case, guess which one is in jail? Here's a clue: not him.



Australian mother imprisoned

The story behind the Australian mother in your Amsterdam  prison. 
Her young son convinces her that he is being sexually molested by his father. 
She turned to the Family Court to protect him. 
As research has shown in Australia mothers who do this are at high risk of being labelled as mad or bad and the children can be handed to those accused of abusing them.
Melinda Stratton is so convinced of the need to protect her son that, with signs that the Family Court will most probably hand her son to the man he says is abusing him, she abandons her house, car, relatives and career and flees overseas.
The father is allowed by the court to publicise (using all forms of international media) that the mother is mentally ill and dangerous.
The mother is located in Europe and, despite not being convicted of any crime, is imprisoned indefinitely while her 6 year-old child is snatched from her and placed in state care, allegedly having been allowed to visit her for one hour in over a month. The father also prevents her family any contact with the boy.
While, thanks to media coverage, the father has gained universal sympathy, all Australians should be concerned and ask: 
If, as Ken Thompson states, this woman is mentally ill, why is she in jail,  not in psychiatric care?
And if, as he maintains, she has committed no crime, why is she a prisoner “awaiting extradition”?
Thirdly, why is the father still allowed to promote his version of events why the mother is gagged by S121 of the Family Law Act?
And finally, what is happening to this child clearly constitutes child abuse by Australian authorities and is in breach of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Sincerely,
Concerned citizens of Australia

All that is above was sent to me. But I am certain of this: her story can be multiplied by a million, and yet men think they don't get justice in courtrooms across the globe. Why? Because they don't recognise injustice against women and children as injustice. "Injustice" and "unfairness" in the patriarchal mind, means "men not treated the way any given man demands to be treated." I'll add that if you're a woman who is not white, who is poor, who is battered, your chances of being helped by courtrooms virtually disappears--because you're so much less likely to ever get inside one.

And, if you're white and a woman and charge a man with crimes he commits that society doesn't want to deal with, you won't likely be believed either. But feminist groups are working to ensure that courtrooms are less patriarchal and misogynistic. Meanwhile, FR groups complain and complain about things like "She broke my computer and the courts didn't punish her enough!!!" When women's bones and wills are broken my men, there's no injustice done. Inside patriarchal societies which means most on Earth, only his experience of reality matters. He speaks Truth. She speaks distortions. So he says.

For more, please see below, which is from *here*.


What About Melinda Stratton's side of the Story?


The news articles are flying in supporting a potential sexual abuser and claiming that Melinda Stratton is mentally ill. Mental illness is the only pathetic explanation as to why a business women would run away from everything that is familiar to her and Andrew. If there was a criminal background, it would be featured, but no Melinda Stratton has nothing but the opinion of a court ordered psych.

Ken Thompson has certainly been around pushing his views to all that challenge until most people just give in and say, "Oh...Um...yes, shes crazy and your not an abuser". 
 
Note the word most. The exclusion is the community of REAL mothers and children who have been through this and know what Melinda has gone through. Lets face it, experts get paid for their opinion at the end of the day and I am sure some are willing to alter some to get a nice big payout at the end of the day. I place my bets on experience.

In Australia, we now have grown up children who have been forced by court order to stay with an abusive parent. No law is going to stop them from speaking out in the end as Australian jurisdiction only reaches so far.

NEW: Purple Dial Number for Domestic Violence in Japan! DV is no "Two-way street". It's women and children being run over repeatedly by men.

Yuka, right, and Democratic Party of Japan member Kumiko Hayashi, launch a support line for victims of domestic violence.
SANKEI
There is a new, and seemingly temporary, free domestic violence (men beating and controlling women and their children) hotline in Japan. I hope it becomes permanent. Two news stories about this appear below. I posted a comment, responding to the sexist-misogynist men's CRAP flowing freely online, *here*, at Japan Today.

With thanks to Yuka, Kumiko Hayashi, and all the other women working diligently to make safety and freedom for women in Japan, from men's violence and terrorism, more of a possibility. Just so you know, white men are known for flocking like demon birds to Japan and many other East and Southeast Asian nations to sexually abuse girls and women. And Japanese men have their own shameful history of sexually and physically abusing women too. My response is last in the list, as usual.

Before the article and comments at Japan Today, please see this, from Japan Times, dated Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011. Please click on the title to link back.

Multilanguage hotline opens for domestic violence victims 
By ALEX MARTINStaff writer 
The government opened a hotline Tuesday for victims of domestic violence, with counseling staff available for consultations in Japanese and six other languages. 
The Purple Dial — Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence Telephone Counseling, hosted by the Cabinet Office's Gender Equality Bureau, will be receiving calls toll free until March 27. The number is 0120-941-826. 
Phone calls from women are accepted around the clock, and men can use the service between 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays and from noon to 11 p.m. on weekends. 
Counseling in English, Chinese, Spanish, Korean, Tagalog and Thai is available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the week. 
A Cabinet Office representative said a recent poll indicated 10.8 percent of female respondents were victims of repeated physical or psychological abuse from their spouse, and that around 60 percent of such victims have never consulted others. The poll showed 7.3 percent of female respondents have been raped at least once in the past.

Next up, the article from Japan Today. You may click on the title to link back.
Yuka campaigns for victims of domestic violence 
Thursday 10th February, 01:00 AM JST
TOKYO — 
TV personality Yuka, 30, this week attended a PR event in Akasaka to raise awareness for “Purple Dial,” a 24-hour support line for victims of domestic violence. 
Joined by Democratic Party of Japan member Kumiko Hayashi, Yuka helped commemorate the establishment of the free consultation service by switching on the lights of what the organization dubbed the “Purple Tree.” 
As the thousands of lights twinkled gently, Yuka said: “Domestic violence can take many forms, including being verbally abused or having your emails read. If you are a victim, I’m sure you feel like you’re suffering alone, but you’re not. You can call for help.” 
The Purple Dial number is 0120 941 826. Free consultation is available until March 27.
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26 Comments

  • ThonTaddeo at 03:57 AM JST - 10th February
    including being verbally abused or having your emails read
    That probably makes a majority of Japanese salaryman husbands victims of abuse.
  • Gurukun at 06:28 AM JST - 10th February
    LOL! "Hello? Yes, I just wanted to say that my wife read my emails. Please give me somee support. What can I do?"
  • smartacus at 07:31 AM JST - 10th February
    When I first saw the photo, I thought they are already lighting up a Christmas tree. But seriously, this is a good project, but why does it only last until March 27. I'd like to see a permanent helpline for victims of abuse.
  • semperfi at 08:12 AM JST - 10th February
    ThonTaddeo including being verbally abused or having your emails read That probably makes a majority of Japanese salaryman husbands victims of abuse
    Thon, you don't get around much do you ???? Domestic violence happens in EVERY country. . . Having worked in clinical settings in Canada I can assure you the verbal abuse and reading emails ( just a small piece on the continuum of violence, btw) happen with BOTH sexes and within EVERY socio-political setting. ** .. . . What is novel is that JAPAN is finally acknowleding this abuse and is beginning to address it within its criminal code ( something European countries, USA, Canada etc have done years ago - - - - BUT domestic violence continues in those countries in spite of the legal ramifications ).
  • sakurala at 08:45 AM JST - 10th February
    Hopefully enough people call in to ensure that it will become a permanent fixture in Japanese society. But hopefully no one will be abusing the chance by simply calling in to complain about small inconsequential things. I understand small things like reading emails may just be the tip of the iceberg and if that is the case there should be more to talk about than just emails. To me the email thing by itself just seems petty.
  • goddog at 08:53 AM JST - 10th February
    Yuka is hot
  • CaptainAwesome at 09:03 AM JST - 10th February
    Yo semperfi, what's the view like from up there on your high horse? Where did you find, in that short one-sentence comment, any allusions about domestic violence ONLY happening in Japan (your retort- 'Domestic violence happens in EVERY country)or that the victims are only women (your retort 'happen with BOTH sexes)?! Self-righteousness at its finest.
  • goinggoinggone at 10:35 AM JST - 10th February
    Oh come on Thon, Japan is a Patriarchal society. Since when did women here have any power? The power is all held by the men, and used to their benefit, socially, economically, politically.
    When Japanese women want to fight back a tiny bit, to make help available for some women to finally break free of abuse, to then claim that privileged, not-poor men are the victims, is beyond ridiculous.
    The article playing down domestic abuse as being about privacy being invaded does not help get anything out in the open. Lets talk about the physical, sexual and financial abuses perpetrated on women and not try and downplay the problems faced by women and their children.
  • proudnippon at 10:39 AM JST - 10th February
    Japan is a Patriarchal society. Since when did women here have any power?
    oh dear...here we go again
  • ebisen at 11:07 AM JST - 10th February
    If a couple consider reading each other e-mails as DV, they are not verymuch bound together aren't they.. Granted, it does take a lot of trust in your partner to be completely OK with this, but I can proudly say in my family we do this and don't consider it violent in any way...
  • tokyokawasaki at 11:20 AM JST - 10th February
    Just try and get any authority to listen to you if you are a MAN being subjected to DV by your wife. After being verbally abused and insulted constantly, having everything I own destroyed, being attacked with bleach, sharp objects, having scans and treatment at the hospital and then finally being denied access to my own house, all the J cops said was "You need to learn to control your crazy J-wife" with a smug grin their face. Absolutely pathetic. There is no system for recognizing yet alone dealing with DV victims.
  • goddog at 12:23 PM JST - 10th February
    My x-wife sliced up my paintings I made, and stabbed a million holes in my feather pillow and stuffed it with garbage. I turned the other cheek, because she was crazy. I barricaded myself in my room at night out of fear of being stabbed while sleeping. No way would the cops help me out.
  • Debucho at 12:32 PM JST - 10th February
    My x-wife sliced up my paintings I made, and stabbed a million holes in my feather pillow and stuffed it with garbage. I turned the other cheek, because she was crazy. I barricaded myself in my room at night out of fear of being stabbed while sleeping.
    Dude you should have got the hell outta there
  • Foxie at 01:06 PM JST - 10th February
    As goddog says, no one will help you if you really need it. They only help you for small problems here. I wonder what good it would do to call that number. They probably just say to you 'gambatte' and 'kawaii so'. My friend is being abused physically to an extent that is unbelievable by her husband-pilot, 2 broken ribs a few weeks ago. You would think that the hospital would help you at least but no. Before that when she was pregnant, her husband hit her so hard that she had to stay in hospital for 2 months, nothing happened again. Poor thing, she has no education, no job, 2 kids and nowhere to go to. That's why she doesn't go to the police. My husband told her husband off but that only made things worse for her. I really don't know how to help her anymore.
  • goddog at 02:16 PM JST - 10th February
    I stayed to protect my kids. She finally left with my two younger ones.
  • Disillusioned at 02:16 PM JST - 10th February
    Yep, domestic violence and abuse is a two way street. I had similar experiences as goddog with my ex-J-wife and as soon as it came to divorce mediation she cried victim all the way. It seems so Japanese, does it not?
  • fishy at 03:14 PM JST - 10th February
    tokyokawasaki and goddog-
    My x-wife sliced up my paintings I made, and stabbed a million holes in my feather pillow and stuffed it with garbage
    After being verbally abused and insulted constantly, having everything I own destroyed, being attacked with bleach, sharp objects, having scans and treatment at the hospital and then finally being denied access to my own house
    Oh my goodness.. Sounds just so awful.. I can imagine being upset/angry at my husband but cannot imagine doing all those things you guys' wives did to you..
    Do you mind sharing why your wives were so angry????
  • oberst at 03:16 PM JST - 10th February
    now the poor salarymen can expect a raise in their weekly allowance
  • goddog at 03:30 PM JST - 10th February
    Mine was angry from when she was a kid. She was a smart but bad girl in school, and got kicked out. She was never able to let anything go, and hold a grudge for weeks at a time. Every day when I would get home, one of the kids would be being picked on and it would not stop. I hated seeing my kids go through that, so I would interrupt what was going on, and tell her to get mad at me instead. So much hate inside of her. Beautiful on the outside and a sorry, pathetic woman on the inside. I think her parents were happy when I got her pregnant so they could marry her out and have her move out. She pulled a knife on me once too, but I disarmed her. The last straw was when I caught her stealing from me blind and hiding the money, so I put her on a budget, and closed the joint account. After about 2 years of that, she finally left. Tried to get me to family court and I refused. Mutual agreement divorce papers were accepted by the ward office in January. I am now a free man.
  • goddog at 03:30 PM JST - 10th February
    About ¥20,000,000
  • fishy at 03:37 PM JST - 10th February
    goddog-
    oh man.. geez.. thanx for sharing.
  • goddog at 03:44 PM JST - 10th February
    Wish I could see the kids more, but I am happy anyway. Got my samurai shonan b=== that is really fun to write and very humorous, do my art work, and most of all surf down at kugenumakaigan all the time. Life moves on, but I would never ever marry a Japanese woman ever again.
  • pointofview at 03:49 PM JST - 10th February
    Geez! Are Japanese chicks crazier than western ones? Sounds like it. Why do they have so many mental problems? I`m confused...
  • fishy at 03:54 PM JST - 10th February
    goddog-
    I don't blame you.. I'd be traumatized if I were you.. Not all J-women are like your ex (I'm telling you because I am one and I'm not like that), but then again, if I were you, I'd probably not want to be with a J-woman. I love the Shonan area, too.. love the beach (wish it was cleaner, though) and water :)
  • Nessie at 03:54 PM JST - 10th February
    Heh, amusing, Thon.
    To all those of you jumping on Thon, he said nothing about this being solely a problem in Japan. He does tend to advocate singlemindedly for the average sarariman, but that does not invalidate his points.
    Anyway, it's great to see a celeb sign up with a charity like this, instead of the safer "office firehouse rep" types of charities.
  • JulianReal at 05:15 PM JST - 10th February
    Let's be clear: "domestic violence" isn't a two-way street, if what we mean by "domestic violence" is one person beating the **** out of the other, repeatedly, so as to break their bones and cause them to miscarry during a pregnancy. It's no two-way street for women who are being terrorised by patriarchal men who care nothing at all for women or children, who repeatedly rape their wives because they feel entitled to do so, who abuse their children and wives as if they were objects and possessions. That's not a two-way street. That's one-way, with traffic by men running over women and children every hour of every day. Across the globe, privileged men whine about how bad they are treated by women. As if these men have any idea, really, what it is like to be terrorised by one's spouse. As if men have any idea what it is like to be repeatedly raped by one's spouse. As if women are breaking men's bones, crushing their self-esteem, destroying their will to freedom. The more resources there are for women being battered and raped by the men who allegedly "love" them, the better.