Madison, WI–
I discussed our Campaign Protesting Father-Bashing Domestic Violence Ads on Outside the Box with Mitch Henck on News/Talk AM 1310 WIBA in Madison, WI this morning.
I was very impressed with how well-informed Henck was on fathers’ issues and what happens in family court. Like most of the hosts on whose shows I’ve recently appeared, he condemned the DART ads in strong terms.
Henck also discussed the progress of family law reform in Wisconsin. He said that a better custody law had been passed via a budget appropriation in recent years.
He also said that one of the chief judges in Wisconsin had said that in watching 20 years of custody determinations, he had continually seen courts award custody to mothers when all other things were equal–both parents were fit, had similar work obligations, good bonds with their children, etc. The judge said he had never once seen such a “all things equal” custody decision go in favor of fathers.
I have some readers from Wisconsin–anybody care to add more info. to this?
One point I made is that while in general custody laws have become fairer to fathers, draconian domestic violence laws have undercut much of this progress, often giving women veto power over joint custody if they’re willing to make a false DV accusation. I discussed this at greater length in my co-authored columns Restraining Orders Can Be Straitjackets On Justice (Newark Star-Ledger, 7/28/08) and Simpson Case Led to Harmful Domestic Violence Policies (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 12/5/06).