Dallas, TX–
The Family Place, the Dallas domestic violence service provider which paid for the anti-father domestic violence ads on DART buses we’re protesting, did something interesting within the past day or two.
Before we launched our campaign I checked out The Family Place’s website and its words about domestic violence. It was, of course, all woman good/man monster, and domestic violence was explained only in terms of male perps and female victims.
For example, their page “Signs of an Abusive Relationship–Warning signs of an abusive personality” spoke only of the evil things “He”–the male abuser–does to his female victim.
Apparently The Family Place has had a change of heart since our campaign launched a few days ago, because now the same page refers to abusers in terms of “He/She.” For example:
Whereas the page previously read “He has unrealistic expectations. He expects you to be the perfect girl all the time and meet his every need,” it now reads “He/She has unrealistic expectations. He/She expects you to be the perfect man/woman all the time and meet his/her every need.”
Whereas the previous page read “He is excessively possessive. He calls constantly or visits unexpectedly, prevents you from going to work because “you might meet someone,’ and even checks the mileage on your car”, it now reads “He/She is excessively possessive. He/She calls constantly or visits unexpectedly, prevents you from going to work because ‘you might meet someone,’ and even checks the mileage on your car.”
Whereas the page previously read “He insists on rigid roles for men and women. He is strong. You are weak. He expects you to serve and obey him because you are ‘his woman”, it now reads “He/She insists on rigid roles for men and women. ‘Men are strong.’ ‘Women are weak.’ He expects you to serve and obey him because you are ‘his woman;’ or she expects you to control and handle everything because you are ‘her man.'”
Their current, gender-inclusive page can be seen here. The previous, only-men-abuse version can be seen cached here.
Good for them…