When are Human rights not Human Rights?
Posted: Wednesday, May 26, 2010
by Craig B
Part of the Aussie culture that I grew up in was that we were to be fair dinkum. Meaning that we would never tread on the underdog and kick them while they were down. In general I would say that most Australians would like to consider themselves as being fair dinkum!
Over the last 3 years I have experienced my own trials and tribulations that have threatened to keep me down. It started in October 2007 when I collapsed at work paralysed on the right side and then hospitalised for 2 months. I was diagnosed as having viral encephalitis.
She said to me, " A real man would not be asking his wife for money, he would be out working and earning his own " This theme about not being a real man would continue over the next 14 months.
The abuse escalated to physical abuse where I had personal items destroyed, I was not allowed a shower chair for showering. I was ostracised from family and friends and punched and threatened on a number of occasions to be stabbed with a knife. Finally it came to a crunch where I had to leave the house after I was bitten on the wrist to the bone and the police advised me to leave for my own safety.
I then lived in the back of my van for six weeks, living on a disability pension because there was no help for me to access.
Eventually Docs were called because of the way my 2 boys were responding at school and I was asked to do a Mens Anger Management Course. The NSW Department of Community Services website has on it two public documents dealing with abuse. One brochure is to inform the public what is considered abuse. The other is information to recognise if someone is suffering from it and what you can do about it. ...the problem was / is that the first document says that " Women, Children and Others " can suffer from abuse...
The question I ask is who are the " Others " ?
In the second brochure, it goes into rhetoric that it is always men who are the abusers and women and children are the victims....this is on a Governments website that is supposed to provide community services.
I hate abuse of any kind. I am against men who abuse women and I'm against women who abuse men. ..its not a gender issue..its a problem with broken humanity.
I contacted the Australian Human Rights Commission and found out that under the UN charter and the Australian federal Governments legislation that it was not authorised to step in and help me because I am a man. Under the law the Australian Human Rights Commission is only authorised to help women and children who are discriminated against.
Why then does it call itself the department of Human Rights...are not men part of the Human Race...I guess in some circles the answer is no! Its a sad day in this country when we have to say that Australia is not really being fair dinkum in how it responds to all who need help.
Craig is actively involved in mens issues in the area of domestic abuse. He is currently a student chaplain working in the mens homeless sector on a part time basis. You can read more of his story here on his blog, http://mencanbeabusedtoo.wordpress.com/
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Top-level comments on this article: (7 total)Craig, I am sorry to read this article and I feel it is not your fault. I hope you have the new life adjustment and be brave. Nothing is going to make you not to and I believe most time, life is unfair. Women can be abusive these days but the authority should include men as other victims for human rights.RegardsHildaHi Hilda. life is a lot better now. Still a few issues to work through.
What heart-rending experiences you've had, Craig, and I'm horrified that the Human Rights Commission doesn't consider abuse against men to be abuse. Abuse is abuse, it's not qualified by anything, least of all gender.The experience has been heart shattering Jennifer. 14 months down the track I still get the shakes when I hear someone verbally abusing another. The worst thing that was ever said to me was by a person asking me when I tried to tell them about the situation "What did you do to deserve it" I keep saying that Abuse is not a gender issue, it is a issue of broken humanity struggling for identity
Good for you putting the word out there Craig. Violence and abuse of any kind is completely unaccepatble. Welcome to the writing community!Warm regards,MaggieThanks for the welcome Maggie. I agree that any form of abuse is unacceptable.
Thanks so much for joining SearchWarp! What a great first post.Thanks Mark for the welcome. Glad you enjoyed the story. My first post was a poem I wrote about the pain I suffered through the experience. Its called Cutting Words
Welcome to Search Warp. Great article.
I was drawn in especially by this quote: "its a problem with broken humanity" this piece showed a spotlight on a needed area in our "civilized" world....I am praying your situation is much, much improved now....Hi Marijo. Life has improved 14 months on since I seperated. I'm soon to be remarried to a great Christian lady. I am doing some advocacy work at the moment and starting to see some break throughs.
craig,there is a larger, deeper story here that i hope you tell someday-book/movie?as you cont. to work things out, the biggest transformation that still needs to occur is for those family-friends who have yet to understand.the greatest feats on earth have been accomplished by those who have been renewed by persecution. sounds like you are navigating well it through it all-for the others it will be more difficult- if impossible in their lifetime. that is a shame!suggest they read: JobThanks Bing. I do have plans to write a book about this. My new wife to be likes your thoughts about a movie...(she is a great encouragement for me to write my story) I'm a member of a forum for men who have seperated and so my story isn't uncommon. But there is a huge reluctance for guys to share their story in public because of the issues involved. I hope I will encourage people that they are not alone and help to bring about change for the better.
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