The neglect of intimate partner abuse in the advocacy community (Butler series part 2)

Why would I keep writing about Josh Butler and Beautiful Union when most people who were talking about it have moved on? I will keep writing on Butler because I believe that Butler's thesis greatly enables men who abuse their long-term female intimate partners, and this fact has not been sufficiently attended to yet by… Continue reading The neglect of intimate partner abuse in the advocacy community (Butler series part 2)

Don Hennessy on systemic abuse in Ireland

This post is about social workers and the justice system taking children of protective mothers. While it focuses on Ireland, we can all learn from it because the Irish Republic is not the only country where the system is set up to favour abusers. The Alliance of Birth Mothers Campaigning for Justice (ABC) is an… Continue reading Don Hennessy on systemic abuse in Ireland

Left and Right Brains — the delusion and pride of left-brain dominated thinking

This post from James started out as private correspondence (which I, Barb, was privy to) between James and a mutual friend of ours. It focussed on "Power corrupts", what gets corrupted and how. When politicians and pastors exercise extreme control, they use their authority to mislead, coerce, micro-manage and oppress people. In this post, James… Continue reading Left and Right Brains — the delusion and pride of left-brain dominated thinking

“How He Wins” – Don Hennessy’s new book

Don Hennessy's new book, How He Wins: Abusive Intimate Partners Going Free [Affiliate link], addresses a world-wide problem: Our failure to reduce the level of male intimate abuse. We've all heard the terms 'domestic abuse' and 'domestic violence'. When a man perpetrates abuse on his female intimate partner, Don Hennessy calls that male intimate abuse.… Continue reading “How He Wins” – Don Hennessy’s new book

Violence against women and mental health

a) Male abuse and violence against women b) Mental health and mental illness These are big topics which intersect in complex ways. Violence against women and mental health is a research paper that examines the way that mental health intersects with trauma, complex trauma, disability, coercive control, access to justice and parenting. The paper is… Continue reading Violence against women and mental health

Pounding the facts; pounding the witness; pounding the table

Here is a way to identify whether someone is a genuine shepherd or a hireling-cum-wolf. Ask yourself, “Is this person pounding the facts? Or are they just pounding the witness or pounding the table?” This post is a recapitulation and coda to Part 3 of my series about Sheep, Shepherds and Wolves. The questions in… Continue reading Pounding the facts; pounding the witness; pounding the table

Australia’s Family Court is ordering children into unsafe situations

Australia is not the only place where children are being forced to have contact with abusers by the legal system.  Caution: For some readers, some of the linked articles may be triggering. What is the so-called evangelical church doing about any of this? I answer that ^ question at the bottom of this post. I… Continue reading Australia’s Family Court is ordering children into unsafe situations