Fancy an emetic? The Herald is running a series of articles on child abuse today. Here is a nauseating recitation from a single article: An average of eight children are killed each year, and many more end up battered in hospital at the hands of family members. Children under two are especially vulnerable; each year 59 [...]

Spam Journalism: The spurious use of sensational headlines to add spice to an otherwise pointless article. (MacDoctor definition) Another piece of spam on domestic violence. This one is perpetrated by that master of statistical manipulation, Kim Workman, and embellished by the sub-editors at the Herald. ‘Three strikes’ policy could silence family violence victims – study The [...]

Spam Journalism: The spurious use of sensational headlines to add spice to an otherwise pointless article. (MacDoctor definition) I swore I was not going to post again on Tony Veitch but the front page of the Weekend Herald persuaded me otherwise: Sport stars misled over letters for Veitch Two of the letters written by high-profile [...]

I don’t think there is ever justification for domestic violence. For that reason, I am glad that Tony Veitch has been made to confront his actions. He has now pleaded guilty and been punished appropriately. That should be the end of it. There is absolutely no evidence that this man is likely to reoffend. The [...]

It is good to hear that someone has been arrested in connection with the 13-year-old girl who was raped in broad daylight yesterday. If guilty, he would be a prime candidate for locking away for good. Sexual predators such as he are highly unlikely to rehabilitate and will almost certainly reoffend if released. However appalling his actions, [...]

It comes as no surprise to me that a judge has said that domestic violence programs do not work. Any competent psychologist could tell you that behavioral changes are almost entirely volitional – a person has to want to change enough to make the hard choices. Probably most people would agree as this seems fairly [...]

Yet another study linking media violence with violent behaviour in teenagers. This must make it at least thirty studies in the last ten years that come to the same conclusion. And those are only the studies I have read or heard about. The actual total number is probably nearing three figures. I wonder how much [...]

I read with horror in the Herald today that 10% of pregnant women suffer violence during their pregnancy. I view domestic violence with extreme distaste but I have to ask myself what kind of man beats up on his pregnant partner? And why are there such a lot of these pillocks? The Herald goes on [...]

Sadly, I see another police investigation has started following the suspicious death of a baby in the Bay of Plenty. This is in addition to the critically ill child currently in Starship hospital with serious head injuries. Physical child abuse is probably the most harrowing presentation that I see in the emergency department, worse than any other [...]