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Gardner District Court 209A Study

 

Steve Basile, Author

Index

STEVE BASILE'S GROUNDBREAKING FATHERHOOD COALITION STUDY OF 209A RESTRAINING ORDERS IN GARDNER DISTRICT COURT

The second phase of the study has been published by the Journal of Family Violence, June 2005. The study is available online to subscribers of the Journal, but it is also available for individual purchase.

Journal of Family Violence

Issue: Volume 20, Number 3,  June 2005

A Measure of Court Response to Requests for Protection

By Steve Basile, Fatherhood Coalition, Milford, Massachusetts

Abstract  

Are male victims of domestic violence provided the same protections as female victims? With increasing entanglement of custody and domestic violence law, the answer to this question is critical for fathers embroiled in disputes where allegations are sometimes made to secure custody of children. All non-impounded requests for Abuse Prevention Orders initiated in Massachusettsrsquo Gardner District Court, in the year 1997, involving opposite gender litigants were analyzed to determine if court response to the associated allegations is affected by the gender of those litigants. These orders were previously examined and male and female defendants were found similarly abusive. By studying the characteristics of each case, and overall court response at court hearings, a determination is made concerning any evident gender trends in the aggregate court response to requests for protection. Despite gender-neutral language of abuse prevention law (M.G.L. c. 209A), application of that law favors female plaintiffs.


The first part of the study has been published by the Journal of Family Violence, Issue 1, February 2004.  The study is available online to subscribers of the Journal, but is also available for individual purchase. 

Comparison of Abuse Alleged by Same- and Opposite-Gender Litigants as Cited in Requests for Abuse Prevention Orders

By Steve Basile, Fatherhood Coalition, Milford, Massachusetts

Abstract

Domestic violence is commonly portrayed as something male batterers do to their female victims. Much research excludes study of female-perpetrated violence. This study develops a two-gender measure of abuse as documented by requests for protection. All nonimpounded Abuse Prevention Orders (M.G.L. c. 209A) issued in Massachusetts' Gardner District Court in the year 1997 were analyzed by gender to examine the level and types of violence alleged by plaintiffs. The level and types of violence were categorized and measured by examining Abuse Claimed Checkboxes found on each Complaint for Protection and by applying quantitative scales to affidavits, or plaintiff statements, filed as part of each request for protection. Despite widespread misconceptions that tend to minimize female abuse, examination of these court documents shows that male and female defendants, who were the subject of a complaint in domestic relation cases, while sometimes exhibiting different aggressive tendencies, measured almost equally abusive in terms of the overall level of psychological and physical aggression.

Journal of Family Violence, 19 (1): 59-68, February 2004

© Springer. Part of Springer Science+Business Media. All rights reserved.

Harvard researcher hides study data behind university lawyers
Steve Basile challenges latest domestic violence junk-science ‘study’
Mark Charalambous June 28, 2004
     
Gardner Restraining Order Study to be Presented at San Diego Conference
Groundbreaking study finds double standard in court response
CPF PRESS RELEASE August 25, 2003
     
Gardner 209A study making waves
Steve Basile presents study at San Diego conference, plans for local presentation
Mark Charalambous
The Record
(CPF newsletter)
March, 2003
     
A Search of Equality
Domestic abuse groups dispute status of claims by men
Farah Stockman
Boston Globe
Oct. 28, 2002
     
Father's rights: Group fights to help divorced dads Kate Hogan 
Sentinel & Enterprise
Oct. 25, 2002
     
FATHERHOOD COALITION RESPONDS:
Men are regularly profiled in domestic violence cases
Mark Charalambous
letter to editor
Sentinel & Enterprise
Nov. 1, 2002
     
Restraint Decisions Studied
Basile describes court's unfairness
Mary Jo Hill
Telegram & Gazette
Sept. 5, 2002
     
Westminster Man's Groundbreaking Domestic Violence Study To Get Exposure Ed Oliver
Massachusetts News
Sept. 6, 2002
     
Gardner Restraining Order Study to be Presented at San Diego Conference
Groundbreaking study finds double standard in court response
CPF PRESS RELEASE August 25, 2002
     
Vital protection editorial
Sentinel & Enterprise
June 13, 1999
     
An Abuse of the System? -
Fathers fight restraining order law
Julie Jette
Sentinel & Enterprise

State House Bureau
June 6, 1999
     
Coalition Seeks Access to Orders Julie Jette
Sentinel & Enterprise

State House Bureau
June 6, 1999
     
Abuse of Restraining Orders is Shown, but Most Massachusetts Media Ignore the Story
Cellucci and Feminists Want to add to Existing Laws
Paul Moreno
Massachusetts News
May 20, 1999
     
Fathers group, victims' advocates clash on restraining order survey Sabin Densmore
The Gardner News
March 8, 1999
     
IN OUR OPINION
Unwarranted secrecy
Attorney general's position is ill-conceived
 
Editorial
[Worcester] Sunday Telegram
March 7, 1999
     

Fatherhood Coalition Defends Restraining Order Study
CPF PRESS RELEASE March 5, 1999
     
AG Reilly proposes closing domestic violence case records Martin Finucan
Associated Press
March 4, 1999
     
Reilly moves to keep info off limits
Restraining order survey in Gardner spurs action
Ian Donnis
Telegram & Gazette
staff
March 4, 1999
     
Men Trying to Trace False Abuse Charges
Restraining Orders are Focus of Attention
Ian Donnis
Telegram & Gazette
Sept. 6, 1998