Oh - as for your other points - I wish you knew more about feminism.

Accusations about stats. are not realistic. The stats that inform policy are obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics; Australian Institute of Criminology; police and hospital records and the like. Homelessness surveys and such are compiled by DV support services, but also by Mission Australia and welfare organizations like that. Research and reports that result from it don't rely on just one source of information.

In all fields it pays to read; compare - and to question veracity, I agree. I recognize political and social trends in interpretation; any social scientist would - however, there is no "feminist mantra" - because there are many researchers, men and women, feminist and non-feminist; from a wide range of disciplines and institutions and an almost infinite number of sources (like emergency departments and police services) whose results are replicated and a large amount of it dovetails. Not just locally; but globally.

I think trends are changing and this is starting to be reflected in various findings - we can discuss that further some other time.

'This might be why marriage has little appeal for women anymore. '

Oh I really think you're wrong. Maybe not marriage perse, but women are definitely the ones who want the commitment. Haven't you heard of all those 30 something women bemoaning the 'man-drought'. Granted the drought is in men who earn more than them and have an acceptable job (Which reinforces provider/nurturer gender roles in the partnership due to economic considerations), but definitely there is a lot more women after a committed relationship.

Regardless, it seems a lot of men perceive the Family Law will be against them if a partnership breaks up and feel they have more to lose than women.

Add in the princess for a day romantic notions and biological clock, and I think it would be hard to argue marriage has little appeal to women. Men have always resisted it, most guys don't want to 'grow up' and see marriage as curtailing their freedom.

'Maybe all the years of 'princes' screwing around has killed any fairytale romantic notions females once had. '

You sound jaded and cynical. Women and men cheat in equal measure. Just when a man cheats he 'couldn't keep his dick in his pants', but when a woman cheats 'her emotional needs were not being met and she was oh so confused' and all sorts of long winded justifications come out.

'Why don't as many women as in previous generations want to stay or even get married anymore ?'

As I said, I think you're wrong. Men are under more pressure to stay married as they will more likely be moving out if there is kids involved. It's no picnic for women either, but they stay in the same house and get every second weekend off from the kids. The guy is in a 1 bed flat trying to pay for two residences only seeing his kids on weekends. I know what sounds more attractive.

'I wish you knew more about feminism.'

You define feminism in your terms, then when anybody talks of the opinions of feminist commentators you fall back on Feminism is a broad church. Are you the feminist Pope? Maybe you need more social commentator credentials if you want to define feminism.

With regards to studies, Housework is studied, quoted, agonised over, and really, it's a personal thing how clean one wants their house. It's merely a toilet seat up gripe disguised as an equity issue. Nobody ever studies or reports on yard work, because men have no motivation to claim victim status. Lets face it, women can choose to do zero housework if they so wish.

The WRD 'study' used to promote the day had a lot of findings about female violence that will never be reported on. The stats are always cherry picked to suit the pet cause.

The gender pay gap. Nobody ever mentions who spends the money and on what in a couple, or why couples choose to split the caring and nurturing the way they do.

There are so many 'societal' attitudes which haven't really changed. Women are the problem with their closely guarding their maternal roles, with the breast feeding lobby, their marrying up, the romantic princess notions. It all sets up the provider-nurturer set-up from the start, encourages part time lifestyle jobs for women and wage slave jobs for men etc...

I cant believe you really think attitudes have changed so much in women. They all still fall for the daddys special little girl being protected by the strong and silent provider, the extravagant princess for a day wedding, the trading on their beauty to get free drinks, the crying to avoid speeding fines etc.

I think women reject feminism more than men. But doesn't stop them complaining when the penny drops, when they lose their looks, when they realise they have no super, when they miss their absent wage slave husbands, when they realise because the guy they sought after earns more means it's more sensible for her to stay home with the kids.