In today's issue of Blick you will find a short article about the lecture by VeV member Daniel Neuhaus on the topic of "domestic violence against men". Dani Neuhaus has become an expert in this field in recent years and runs the only website on this topic in Switzerland, www.mann-als-opfer.com
Instead of describing the issue with the seriousness it deserves, the Blick journalist allowed himself a cheap laugh at the expense of Daniel Neuhaus and all the other men affected. He dares to ridicule the problem of domestic violence and makes fun of the men affected in a roundabout way. He gives the impression that this topic is for laughs instead of giving a platform to the sad facts.
We at VeV find this one-sided polemic at the expense of other people cheap and, above all, dogged. It is well known that this newspaper doesn't exactly shine with sophistication, but that it allows its columnists to be dragged down to such a low level is more than sad and worrying.
Read VeV's response to Blick journalist GM Cavelty's column here
We at VeV Switzerland are outraged by the “Tatort Cavelty” column in today’s issue of Blick.
Apparently Mr. Cavelty did not realize that both mannschafft and mann-as-victim are serious, serious organizations that devote themselves to the issues they deal with with all due seriousness.
He blatantly makes fun of a topic that is anything but funny. The issue of domestic violence against men is a serious, tragic issue that receives far too little attention from the public.
The statistics from the city police of Zurich, Bern, St. Gallen and other cantons speak for themselves. In around 20% of all cases of domestic violence, the victim is male and the perpetrator is female. 20% is a proportion that simply cannot be negated.
Experts like to say that victims of violence become victims a second time, namely when no one believes them. You just laugh at them and don't take them seriously.
This is exactly what Mr. Cavelty did with his immature article. He shows that he is unwilling to treat serious topics seriously.
But this is Mr Cavelty's personal matter.
However, things look different with the print product Blick from Ringier.
The fact that a major daily newspaper not only allows such tendentious reporting, but also prints it, is extremely thought-provoking. Is it possible that the ladies and gentlemen in the editorial team are not aware of the Violence Protection Act? Or could it be that they are not aware that this law protects all victims of violence, not just female victims? Or is it the case that the old cliché of the bad man and the poor woman is once again being deliberately tinkered with?
Men and fathers' organizations are no longer willing to accept these one-sided portrayals in the media. Violence is a human problem, not a male problem. We have been demanding more support in combating domestic violence against men for years. While Switzerland has around 25 women's shelters, there is not a single men's shelter. There are countless contact points for female victims, and only one for men!
This is not about pitting male and female victims against each other. The point is that men can also become victims.
Publications like the one by Mr. Cavelty are the bottom drawer and show a lack of respect for the victims and a lack of knowledge of the facts. She leaves the suspicion that Mr. Cavelty just wanted to get rid of a few lines at the expense of others.
We therefore expect the Blick editorial team to provide an appropriate counter-statement that refers to the known, scientifically proven facts.
I would like to invite Mr. Cavelty to Windisch. Mr. Neuhaus will give the same lecture again on November 29th, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. in the Segel restaurant. This time within the framework of the VeV.
Perhaps Mr. Cavelty will then be willing to deal with the exponents instead of producing a superficial laugh at the expense of victims.
VeV Switzerland
