News on U.S. government agencies, U.S. politics, companies doing business with U.S. federal government. Read U.S. national and local news. This site is not affiliated with United States Government.
(EMAILWIRE.COM, October 28, 2008 ) BOSTON, MA - Thousands of angry protesters are demanding that Dallas Area Rapid Transit buses remove misleading, father-bashing ads from its bus fleet. The ads purport to address the serious issue of domestic violence. One ad depicts a happy little girl with the message "One day my husband will kill me." Another shows a smiling boy with the message "When I grow up, I will beat my wife."
To depict only males as perpetrators of domestic violence, and only females as victims, is a severe distortion. A mountain of DV research clearly establishes that men account for about half of all DV victims and incur about one-third of all DV-related injuries. Ads that incorrectly portray fathers, and only fathers, as perpetrators are a form of hate speech.
Fathers & Families has provided DART with a long list of quotes and citations from domestic violence authorities documenting that women play a large role in domestic violence.
The message of the ads is clear--kids need to be afraid of dad. Boys need to be afraid to grow up to be like dad, and girls need to fear marrying a man like dad.
Ned Holstein, MD, a specialist in public health and Executive Director of Fathers & Families, said, “We cannot protect endangered children if we ignore the role of violent women, who commit about half of intimate partner violence and the majority of child abuse. Popular misconceptions that blind us to the violence of some women result in courts sometimes putting children in the custody of violent mothers.”
DART Buses & Trains serve a total of 10 million commuters per month. Fathers & Families is asking DART to remove these two offensive ads from its buses right away.
About Fathers & Families
Based in Boston, Fathers & Families is a national non-profit advocacy organization protecting childrenÂ’s right to the love and care of both parents after separation or divorce. Through education and legislative outreach programs, Fathers & Families seeks to shape public policy and change well-meaning but misguided laws, judicial traditions, and government policies that drive many loving fathers out of their children's lives after divorce. More information on Fathers & Families and its programs is available at www.fathersandfamilies.org or by calling (617) 542-9300.
We are pleased to offer you this exciting, new, and entirely free professional resource. Visit our Free Industry resource center today to browse our selection of 600+ complimentary Industry magazines, white papers, webinars, podcasts, and more. Get popular titles including:
