In his speech to the Salvation Army yesterday, Mr Key told how he sees domestic violence…

? “The trials (Louise Nicholas) throw light on a pattern of behaviour and an attitude towards women which persists in this country.

Domestic violence is the disgraceful secret of some otherwise successful men, and is the sorry burden of their partners…

There remains a dark side to the experiences of too many New Zealand women and children at the hands of too many New Zealand men. The evidence can be seen partly in the disturbing crime statistics relating to domestic violence…

It goes without saying that the perpetrators of violence are usually men, and their victims are women and children. These are the reported figures, but they are only the tip of the iceberg. All crime is subject to under-reporting, but violence against women and children is one of those crimes least likely to come to police notice.

For some of these women and children, violence occurs only rarely. For others, however, violence is so common as to be virtually a normal part of everyday life. This strips the dignity, self-confidence and hope away from those who are subjected to it.

It is a judge’s job to measure one crime against another, and to set a sentence accordingly. To me, however, domestic violence, which encompasses the injuring, bullying and oppression of women and children, is always sickening.”

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Does Mr Key also find the injuring, bullying and oppression of men sickening?? Is he aware of the stats regarding the sex of the perpetrators of domestic violence against children?

? I would think statements like “patterns of behaviour and attitudes”, “oppression” and the ignorant phrase, “It goes without saying that the perpetrators of violence are usually men, and their victims are women and children,”? would clearly show Mr Key’s thinking on the topic.

So the leaders of both our major parties choose to ignore violence by women against men, children or other women.