On May 13, 2008, NCFM members Marc Angelucci, Harry Crouch and Fred Sottile were invited speakers at Torrance High School where they spoke before 30 members of the student body government about male victims of domestic violence. This was a counter to the presentation given by an organization that distorted the issue and falsely told the students 95% of domestic violence is male-on-female, a myth that is not supported by any current credible data at all. A father of one of the students, who was outraged by the misinformation and contacted NCFM, who helped him stage a protest outside the school and speak at the school board and city council meetings. As a result, the school agreed to allow NCFM to present the other side. NCFM discussed the experiences of male victims and why they are neglected and covered up for political and ideological reasons, handed out studies on dating violence including those linked below, explained the history and politics surrounding the problem and why covering up half the violence actually fosters the intergenerational cycle of violence even more. The students were receptive, and some were outspokenly supportive. NCFM also briefly introduced issues like paternity fraud and false accusations of abuse as forms of domestic violence, and briefly introduced other men's issues as well and the men's rights movement overall. NCFM handed out NCFM's flyers and other materials, as well as the following studies/articles:
Science Daily, "Male And Female Adolescents Equally Victims Of Physical Dating Violence, Study Shows" (11/12/07) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071109210657.htm
California State University (Long Beach) bibliography by Professor Martin Fiebert (page 1)
www.csulb.edu/~mfiebert/assault.htm
University of New Hampshire, "Men are More Likely Than Women to Be Victims in Dating Violence, UNH Expert Says." http://www.unh.edu/news/cj_nr/2006/may/em_060519male.cfm?type=n
Journal of Adolescent Health, "Gender Differences in Dating Aggression Among Multiethnic High School Students" (5/08).
http://www.jahonline.org/article/PIIS1054139X07004351/abstract
Thank you to all who helped out and donated toward the travel costs, and to Dennis, the father of the Torrance High School student, who contacted NCFM made it all happen. Well done, folks!
