Men who commit domestic violence against their partner, or their children, should not be allowed to have access or custodial rights over those children.
Heresy, I know but I do not believe that a man who is violent to their partner can be trusted to be a good father to their children. After all, not abusing the mother of your children isn't exactly a high standard of parenting.
A man who abuses the mother of his [step]-children is not a good father.
It doesn't matter if he never directly physically or sexually assaults the children; the fact that a man abuses his partner negates his ability to be a good father. Forcing a child to live with a man who abused their mother is psychological child abuse and we are all complicit in a culture which is psychologically abusing children.
Men who commit domestic violence should have no legal rights to their children. They should be legally required to pay maintenance to support their children as the failure to pay maintenance is child abuse.
Men who refuse to pay child maintenance are not good fathers.
Children are not possessions. They do not 'belong' to their parents. What are we teaching our children if we allow them to live with men who emotionally, physically or sexually abuse their mothers?
What are we teaching our children about women's bodily autonomy?
What are we teaching our daughters about their value? What are we teaching our sons: that being violent is the only way to be a man?
Children are entitled to live in safety surrounded by people who love them.
Children do not deserve fathers who are "good enough" when "good enough" ignores the history of male violence.
Thursday, 13 June 2013
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