How far does a man, distressed from being tortured by their female partner, have to go to get help before it turns deadly? Well, a widely recognised framework known as the Duluth Model wants the world to believe that only women can be domestic violence victims.
The average person wouldn’t know what the Duluth Model is. We didn’t until we read Jewell Drury and Adam Tate’s submission to the New South Wales parliament into Coercive Control.
What Is The Duluth Model?
Developed by Ellen Pence in the early 1980s in Duluth, Minnesota, this framework was created with a focus on holding male perpetrators accountable for violence against women.
The method was so successful in the United States that other countries took it up, including Australia. Now, almost forty years on, the framework has infiltrated society, disguised as aiding the fight against violence against women.
However, those who enforce the Duluth Method are allowing male domestic violence victims to go unheard and fearing for their lives.
The Duluth model pushes the feminist agenda of “believing all women” and that all perpetrators are men. It also builds up the idea of educating men to understand their so-called “male privilege.”
Is There Criticism Surrounding The Duluth Model?
Yes, there is. The issue with the Duluth Model is that it is sexist and should be gender-neutral to include men and other genders. According to the Duluth Model’s FAQ page, they don’t shame men, and they choose not to use gender-neutral language because domestic violence is primarily a women’s issue.
As per to the Australian Institute of International Affairs, the Duluth Model focuses on “key feminist concepts.” They uses phrases about patriarchal structures. However, the AIIA stresses that “large-scale research” reveals that this method of combatting domestic violence isn’t as effective as claimed. Reviews show that there is limited effectiveness.
Other studies conclude that the Duluth Model might have a “small negative effect.” The AIIA also mentions that feminists bemoan “misogyny” whenever criticism arises. Every time a new problematic behaviour shows itself, they instantly jump on it, wanting to eliminate it.
Feminists believe that more feminism is the ideal way to combat the patriarchy. However, this gives off the notion that “to combat gun violence, we need more guns.” It is the same sentiment if you sit back and think about it logically.
While fighting for women’s rights is the just thing to do, isn’t right to deny a man their rights. So many people preach about equality. But deny a certain demographic their right to speak about what is affecting them.
The Duluth Model is a crucial reason why staunch feminists have an Amazonian way of thinking where men are evil and women are superior. In conclusion, no one gender is better than another. Yes, women were oppressed for a very long time, but doing the same to men is not the answer. They should be seen as equals concerning rights and freedoms.
