National Memo:
Both sides do it.
This platitude is one of the most destructive myths in politics. But when it comes to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which was drafted in 1994 by then-senator Joe Biden and signed into law by President Bill Clinton, the “both sides do it” canard becomes especially disgusting — and not just because the House GOP alone is responsible for letting the law lapse for the first time in over a decade and a half.
Writing in Townhall, longtime anti-feminist activist Phyllis Schlafly says that VAWA is “as sex-discriminatory as legislation can get.” Why? Because it isn’t designed to protect men. Schlafly argues that domestic violence is a problem that affects men and women equally: “A Centers for Disease Control survey found that half of all partner violence was mutual, and 282 scholarly studies reported that women are as physically aggressive, or more aggressive, than men.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, women are more three times more likely to be killed, stalked or raped by an intimate partner than men. Arguing that women often start domestic violence doesn’t just ignore the obvious inherent physical difference between men and women, it echoes an excuse often used by abusers themselves.“Half of all partner violence was mutual” isn’t extremely surprising. If someone’s beating on me, I’m going to hit back. But in Schlafy’s world, this means that the woman was either beating up on the man or asking for what she got. I’d think I wouldn’t have to point out that this is a sick worldview, but apparently I do. Schlafly’s always been bizarrely anti-woman, but this is just above and beyond.
And it was Eric Cantor who blocked the VAWA in the House, because of “provisions to extend protections to Native American women and undocumented women, as well as lesbian, bisexual and transgender women.” I guess some women are deserving of being slapped around more than other whiter and straighter women. After all, it’s the Violence Against Women Act, not the Violence Against All Women Act. Gotta watch out for that government overreach, you know.
After losing the female vote by a landslide in 2012, Republicans continue to wage their War on Women. If Republicans think women aren’t watching and keeping score here, they’re completely unable to learn from the past.
