Kate Jenkins

Sex Discrimination Commissioner

Dear Commissioner Jenkins,

Firstly thank you for speaking out against sex discrimination, I have read the publications on the Australian Human Rights Commission web site: Well done.

Whilst I was reading the web site I noticed in the events section on Friday 25 November, the web site has published its support for the White Ribbon Campaign and I note this campaign’s objective is: “Australia’s campaign to prevent men’s violence against women”. In contrast, the one in three campaign promotes the belief that up to one in three victims of domestic violence are men. I also note the following quotation from an article by Bettina Arndt published in The Australian Newspaper on Saturday 20 Aug 2016: “We must recognise the fact that domestic violence, in at least half of its occurrence, is carried out by female perpetrators.”

Whichever campaign you choose to believe, I am sure you will agree, in addition to male perpetrators and female victims, there are also female perpetrators and male victims. It seems to have escaped the attention of the Human Rights Commission that the support of a campaign which falsely promotes the prevention of domestic violence against one gender and not the other is a divisive and sexist.

I am sure you are all too aware of the poor circumstance of all victims of domestic violence, added to this from a male heterosexual perspective the circumstance is compounded by the additional shame of firstly admitting to being beaten up by a female partner and secondly facing discrimination associated with a man blaming community which continues to fail to recognise and support male victims because they are men. I am sure there is some reluctance by all victims of domestic violence to come forward and I am also sure there is greater comparative reluctance by men.

It appalls me this circumstance exists at all, it is more appalling this discrimination is apparently being promoted by the very organisation appointed to prevent it. My suggestion is that you speak out against the discrimination being promoted by your own organisation, furthermore I thought it may be useful if you did this before you continue to patronise and accuse everyone else about how much of a sexist you think they are.

I look forward to your response

Adrian Smyth