In April of 2003 Tacoma, Washington Police Chief David Brame killed his wife Crystal and then himself. This event became a national story and continues, perhaps because David Brame was a chief of police. People seemed surprised that a chief of police would commit such a horrific act. However, facts document they should not be. Domestic violence is no stranger to the families of police officers. Shortly after the Tacoma murder-suicide in July 2003 the New York City Police Department experienced a murder-suicide involving one of its superior officers.
In July 2003 a domestic violence advocate in the Tacoma area stated that she wanted to hold a news conference on July 14th to tell the people in the community what they should do about domestic violence. One must suppose this advocate believes she is an “expert” on the issue. The advocate is quoted on www.Tribnet.com on July 14, 2003 as declaring, “It seems like someone’s declared open season on women.” This advocate, similar to many other fundamental feminist domestic violence advocates can only see, care about or empathize with female victims.
HOMICIDIE VICTIMS
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Supplementary Homicide Report documents that from 1976-2000 females represent 62.1% and males 37.9% of the homicide victims of an intimate relationship. Family member males represent 52.5% and females 47.5%. Infanticide documents that 54.5% victims are male and 45.5% are female. Eldercide accounts for males 58.3% and females 47.7%.
The findings from National Violence Against Women Survey in a National Institute of Justice report document that females are the primary victims of violent injurious and sexual assaults by intimate partner and that males are victims of violence more often than women. An estimated 1.9 million women and 3.2 million men are physically assaulted annually in the United States. Males were 10 times more likely than females to commit murder in 2000. Both male and female offenders are more likely to target male victims than female victims. Most murder victims are acquainted with their assailants:
Homicides in 2,000
Males 11,766
Females 3,717
Intimate Homicide victims by gender
Males 440
Females 1,247
Homicides of children under 5
Males 308
Females 240
Eldercide
Males 368
Females 326
Homicide by relationship
7.1% Spouse
7.8% Other Family
4.3% Boyfriend/Girlfriend
33.0% Acquaintance
33.8% Relationship undetermined
For those of you who are not familiar with what a “fundamental feminist” is, they are people who care more about women’s rights than they do victims rights. These recent terrible tragedies must be used for resolution and healing and not continued adversarial confrontation. There is no single person, group, or ideological philosophy that has all the answers. This advocate is no “expert” and her advice to the Tacoma, Washington area residents is ignorant, insensitive and myopic.
Domestic violence interventions must be positive and inclusive, not negative and exclusive. We must be willing to accept the beliefs of others while not relinquishing our individual beliefs. History documents that any belief system that proclaims it alone holds the “ultimate truth” breeds intolerance and extremism. Remaining stuck at either end of any paradigm only serves to hinder a balanced and proper understanding of any issue.
Does not everyone, regardless of what percentage of victimization they represent, deserve access to services and funding? Does not everyone, regardless of age or gender deserve our sympathy and compassion? What is it that fundamental feminists do not understand about this concept?
