Dr. Phil. Seems people either love him, or, not so much. Stop Abusive and Violent Environments, a national victim-advocacy organization, is charging that TV personality Dr. Phillip McGraw made statements at a recent Senate committee hearing that were “reckless and false.”
Dr. McGraw’s testimony was given during a July 13 hearing on the Violence Against Women Act held by the Senate Judiciary Committee. McGraw, a psychologist, often appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
During his testimony, Dr. McGraw made repeated statements about violence against women, but glossed over the widespread problem of abuse against men. McGraw made a number of claims that were flatly wrong, SAVE alleges.
Dr. McGraw asserted that “Domestic violence is now the most common cause of injury to women ages 15 to 44.” But the actual leading causes of injury to women are falls, overexertion, and car accidents.
McGraw told the senators that “In too many situations violence against women, young and old, is almost treated as an ‘acceptable crime.'” But that statement ignores research showing over 90% of Americans abhor domestic violence.
Dr. McGraw’s testimony “is reminiscent of the Jim Crow rape scares that focused on black-on-white rape, while studiously ignoring the problem of white-on-white sexual assault,” the SAVE letter explains.
“Two weeks ago Catherine Beckerallegedly sliced off her husband’s penis and tossed it in the garbage disposal,” notes SAVE spokesman Philip Cook.
“The gruesome incident took place just miles from Dr. Phil’s southern California home. But by the time Dr. McGraw arrived in Washington for the hearing, all awareness of male victimization seemingly had vanished from his mind.”
Women are as physically aggressive, or more aggressive, than men in their relationships with their spouses or male partners, according to a research summary compiled by Dr. Martin Fiebertof California State University.
A copy of the SAVE letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee can be seen here.
Stop Abusive and Violent Environments is a victim advocacy organization working for evidence-based solutions to partner abuse.
You can see Dr. Phil’s testimony on Capitol Hill here.
See the original story:
- Dr. Phil goes to Washington to support victims of domestic, sexual violence
