MENZ Issues: news and discussion about New Zealand men, fathers, family law, divorce, courts, protests, gender politics, and male health.

Last Sunday saw myself and Opal, Brother Mike and my nieces with an entourage from Mt Albert descend upon the function.

Ms. Helen Clark was also in attendance, therefore the question that should be asked, Where were you?

Numerous flyer’s and booklets promoting the Father and Child Trust http://www.fatherandchild.net.nz/ with further inserts detailing Project Reunion http://www.projectreunion.org.nz/ were handed out by Lynn and and her boyfriend and myself to this captivated crowd. (more…)

Myth: Single-mother-headed households are not detrimental to children.

Truth: Single-mother-headed households are the most dangerous place a child can be.

Proof:

The US Office of Technology Assessment (1987): “The increase in the number of mother-headed households and the corresponding decrease in father-headed households paralleled a 158% increase in child abuse and neglect in the 8 years from 1976 to 1984. 2.3% of sexual abuse of girls was by biological fathers, and 17% by stepfathers. 37% of child maltreatment occurred in mother-headed households, versus 23% in all US families. 44,700 children were sexually abused in 1979 which was .07% of all children below the age of 18 years of age.” In 1983, a study found that 60% of perpetrators of child abuse were women with sole custody. According to the Department of Justice, 55% of child murders are by their own mothers, and 6% are by their biological fathers, making mothers 9 times more likely to murder their children than biological fathers. (more…)

From July 1 all parents paying or receiving child support will have their payments adjusted according to a formula based on the cost of raising children.

As part of the changes to child support, the agency has beefed up compliance rules.

Parents who are not paying will face having payments such as unemployment and disability benefits and veterans’ and parliamentary pensions garnished.

The agency already has the power to stop people owing child support from leaving the country. (more…)

West Virginians could soon face criminal charges for falsely reporting child abuse or neglect to influence a custody case.

The House of Delegates voted 85-13 Wednesday to send the Senate a measure that would also slap any parent making a false report with a $1,000 fine or paying the other side’s lawyer fees.

The misdemeanor crime would also carry a punishment of up to 60 hours of community service.

The bill is among the goals of groups that allege West Virginia treats fathers unfairly in awarding custody and child support. Lawmakers have debated the prevalence of false reporting.

Kanawha County Democrat and House Judiciary Chairwoman Carrie Webster said the bill was amended to ensure its provisions do not chill the reporting of actual abuse or neglect.

This could be New Zealand. This needs to be New Zealand.