Madam, - It is unlikely, at this stage, that anyone will be surprised that a study of patients attending their family doctors found that 52 per cent of men and 43 per cent of women had experienced domestic violence (The Irish Times, September 12th).
The findings of this research, carried out by researchers from Trinity College Dublin and published in the European Journal of General Practice, reflect the findings of all other two-sex studies carried out in Ireland. These include the large-scale study by the National Crime Council which found that roughly equal numbers of women and men suffered domestic violence. Despite the attempts of certain individuals and organisations to discredit Amen, these findings again vindicate the position we have consistently held on this issue for the past ten years.
Dr. Susan Smith, one of the recent study's authors, quite rightly commented that it was "inappropriate to continue to address this issue as solely a woman's problem". Yet, despite all the evidence, those who decide public policy still act in accordance with the discredited feminist theory that women are predominantly the victims and men the perpetrators.
The Government provides more than €15 million a year for services to female victims while less than 1 per cent of this amount is provided for male victims. The Department of Justice has set up a comprehensive structure, comprising a national steering committee and eight regional committees on violence against women, as well as providing other supports for female victims, but provides no supports for male victims.
The stubborn refusal to allow such a massive body of evidence to inform public policy on this matter suggests a strong misandrist influence on the governance of this country. - Yours, etc,
MARY T. CLEARY,
Amen,
Navan,
Co Meath.