@Ms Russell

"In my view, the Australian of the year deserves respect..."

Sorry not this year until Rosie Batty uses her elevated position by standing up and asking loudly and persistently for the Victorian Coroner to lift the suppression order on his report on the inquest into the murder of her son. If the coroner has concerns regarding protecting the identity of child protection workers he can have his report redacted. I have no doubt in my own mind that the coroner is covering up more than matters concerning child protection workers and bureaucrats.

Seeing where Ms Batty has placed herself by dint of that murder I believe the public has a right to know the full context surrounding the murder. What the public has heard about the murder/er so far has largely come from Ms Batty's mouth.

I think the case of Greg Anderson and Rose Batty is a good indication that the mental health system is failing severely.

Sadly the feminists do not want to look at the mental illness or drug and alcohol abuse that affects males. I believe if we are able to reduce the occurrence of these disorders, then we will manage to reduce the incidence of domestic violence.

Roscop, weren't there multiple witnesses, including children, who watched as Anderson killed his son? That's enough evidence of his guilt for me, mentally ill or not.
Do you think ANY reason at all is a good enough reason to absolve him of responsibility of that crime?

Wolly B, you are very incorrect in saying 'feminists' don't care about male mental illnesses. Where did you get that absurd notion from?
All women ('feminist' or not) have male relatives they love, and I am sure there are many, many women who worry sick over their mentally ill relatives of both genders.
I know I do.

There are mentally ill men in our society who are more likely to commit domestic violence, due to aggression they feel when depressed. There is no doubt their intimate partners would be very concerned about that....

Sarah in particular the second link in http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=17286#305183 This one http://web.csulb.edu/~mfiebert/assault.htm

"REFERENCES EXAMINING ASSAULTS BY WOMEN ON THEIR SPOUSES OR MALE PARTNERS:AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY"

I'd start with that one.

A few more links to material that you might find interesting if you have not looked at the other side of the issue previously and do wish to understand the case better

http://pubpages.unh.edu/~mas2/ID41E2.pdf "DOMINANCE AND SYMMETRY IN PARTNER VIOLENCE BY MALE AND FEMALE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN 32 NATIONS"

A summary by the US Department of Justice on from the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/170018.pdf

An Australian study that sought to determine if rates of partner violence were gendered http://www.fact.on.ca/Info/dom/heady99.htm

Most of this work is based on CTS (Conflict Tactics Scale) which those promoting a gendered view of DV claim as discredited. From what I've seen thats a self serving claim which over emphasises limitations in CTS and ignores significant structural failings in the research that supports the gendered view of DV.

If you wish to understand the debate around CTS my impression is that Michael Flood has been one of the more visible opponents of CTS and Murray Straus one of the more visible defenders.

An article by Michael Flood on CTS http://www.xyonline.net/sites/default/files/Flood,%20Husband%20Battering.pdf and by Murray Straus at http://pubpages.unh.edu/~mas2/CTS4.pdf

R0bert

Suseonline, "There are mentally ill men in our society who are more likely to commit domestic violence, due to aggression they feel when depressed. There is no doubt their intimate partners would be very concerned about that"

For someone employed in community nursing (correct that if it is wrong) it is most surprising that you turn a blind eye to drugs and alcohol as contributors to violence and crime.

That deliberate blindness to 'prove' that domestic violence is a gendered thing - that being male is the prerequisite to offend- doesn't wash with the broader community now that the SBS has lifted the lid in Mt Druitt (to take a recent expose).

The major impediment to researching and treating domestic violence and violence generally is how to take the gender lobbying/activism out of it. Effectiveness and efficiency in delivering public health and policing requires independence, and cooperation within and between at all levels of government. That is not possible where there is a horde of professionals, bureaucrats and NGOs who are making their daily bread out of partisanship, and a corrupt ideology. There is a victim industry putting its future first and all thanks to Gough Whitlam who kick-started it.

@Suseonline: "Do you think ANY reason at all is a good enough reason to absolve him of responsibility of that crime?" Of course not...he is a male. Its seems to be only women who have reasons for absolving themselves of their crimes. Lets see what the woman who killed 8 children comes up with. And the old "battered wife" tale seems to work every time.