In February 2007, an article appeared in Migros Magazine under the title "When women strike"
VeV Aargau has written the following letter to the editor:
Congratulations to Ms. Brambilla on this informative article that finally shows the perspective of affected men.
Unfortunately, as mentioned in the article, this perspective is still laughed at, ignored and marginalized far too often. Affected men are, in a sense, beaten a second time by this institutional disbelief. Ms. Ingenberg from the victim advice center wonders why so few men come forward. I would like to give her two pointers about this. Firstly, such an advice center unfortunately only exists in the canton of Zurich. Men in all other cantons cannot benefit from this. Secondly: What advice would you give to a man and father who, like Michel in the article, is afraid of leaving his children with their violent mother? In general, it can be said that men are even more ashamed if they have been laughed at and ridiculed after their first attempts to open up. If they are not taken seriously by the police and advice centers, they are advised to "solve the matter like a man". This is an original quote from an Aargau police officer to an affected man. What he meant by that remains uncertain. Battered men are victims, just like battered women. However, if you compare the offer of help for affected women with that for affected men, the picture makes you shudder. There are over 20 women's shelters in Switzerland, all of which offer comprehensive advice and support services for affected women and their children. On the other hand, not a single men's house. Not a single institution that could protect and care for men and their children. No place to go for men suffering from domestic violence. There are certainly a number of contact points for violent men, but referring a male victim to such a place, as is done in Aargau, for example, is nothing short of a mockery.
It is well known that domestic violence occurs more frequently, especially in situations of separation. But it is precisely in these situations that the man is even worse off. If he dares to even hold on to his wife who is physically attacking him, the resulting hematomas will be enough to prove to any marriage judge that the man is a thug. This usually means immediate expulsion from the house, loss of the apartment, loss of children, loss of the environment. For the children, it means the immediate loss of their father - a potentially traumatizing experience, especially in those cases in which the aggressive mother has driven the previously protective father out of the house.
Incidentally, the figures stated in the report of 80% male perpetrators and 20% female perpetrators are only true if violence is viewed as "directed against the partner". However, if you look at domestic violence as a whole phenomenon and also include violence against children and seniors, the picture changes dramatically and women clearly take the sad lead in the role of perpetrators.
The VeV and, with it, numerous other men's and fathers' organizations have been calling for more equivalence when considering domestic violence for years. Violence is a human problem, not a male problem. We demand solutions and contact points from the federal government and cantons for men and children affected by violence. The canton of Zurich has shown the way, when will the other cantons follow?
Thank you again for this excellent article.
Our letter to the editor was printed in issue 08/07 from February 19th.
Since it was shortened and reworded, we have the printed version here again.