Domestic violence, patriarchy amd the broflake....

At the intersection of domestic violence, misogyny and the far right....A long time ago William Reich wrote a book called ' The mass psychology of Fascism '; in it he identified Fascism and the far right as a response and fear of the feminine. I see clearly the value of Reich's thoughts.. I have seen Sovereign Cymru rave about the rants of a Neath narcissist against the #Metoo movement. The individual used words like cackling and virtue signalling at the Golden Globe awards of 2018. I saw Jac o the Neath rant about 'wimmin, lefties and greens ' I saw Plaid last year expell Neil McEvoy for a series of attacks on strong women who worked for anti domestic violence charities. The reality is that misogyny and transphobia is the new intersection of the far right and the remnants of UKIP. The word broflakes describes insecure men frightened of feminism and the fluidity of sexuality and identity. The broflakes have drawn up the wagons against the progressive forces surrounding them. After Brexit will come a new hard right cemented together in fear and loathing of diversity and difference.

Those of us who work with the victims of violence have senseed it's rise since June 2016. Domestic violence exists in all classes of society, across all occupations and all income levels. I have known and heard of it everywhere. Patriarchy existed before capitalism and was a consequence of the agricultural revolution of the Neolithic period.. it originated at the same time as the domestication of animals and the development of slavery. Violence is the gold standard that some men use to guarantee patriarchy. If a few men are violent then all women are at risk and all men vulnerable to the assumptions of a few.. The violent language of masculinity and the sneering and loathing at feminism is but a few degrees from actual physical violence. Those who use banter and violently argue to put women, gay people and trans people in their place must know significant numbers often cross over into physical violence. It us the job of all of us who are progressive to encourage the victims of domestic violence to come forward and name their abusers.. This is no "witch hunt' ..even by the bitter old men and using the term obscures the fact that 80% of its victims were female. Let's challenge those who defend patriarchy and unconsciously in most cases the violence that preserves it like the gold bullion that once preserved the financial system. Within the social construction of masculinity there lurks a misogyny that us unconscious and unseen. Men must battle with this hidden and unconscious misogyny to liberate themselves and others. The challenge is great and many refuse to do so . Yet for wholeness men must confront this.

It is essential that the victims of patriarchy both male and female are freed. To it's victims we must say "come forward and name the abusers. whoever they are. They may be milkmen, doctors. dentists or even elected representatives however powerful they seem.. you will be believed."...