Media Advisory: Violence in Fatherless Communities Calls for Family Law Reform (July 16, 2012)

MEDIA ADVISORY – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VIOLENCE IN FATHERLESS COMMUNITIES CALLS FOR FAMILY LAW REFORM: NATIONAL MEN’S ORGANIZATION

New UK presumption of equal parenting following divorce should be the norm in Canada

TORONTO, ONTARIO – (July 26, 2012) –  Canada’s “Men’s Issues” organization is calling on federal and provincial governments to follow the lead of the UK which recently moved to amend their family law system to ensure both mothers and fathers maintain relationships with their children following divorce.

“The move to a presumption of equal shared parenting has been the primary goal of fathers’ rights groups in Canada for decades,” said Bradley Corbett, Canadian Centre for Men and Families Spokesperson. The issue is made urgent by the increase in violent crime and the strong correlation between fatherlessness and violent communities.

The UK and Australia have made moves to shared parenting based on studies that the absence of a father in a child’s life is also correlated with delinquency, drug and substance abuse, and teen pregnancy.

“Canada should follow the British precedent in recognizing that denying a child access to their parent is as objectionable as failing to make support payments,” said Corbett. The British system will henceforth punish mothers who refuse access with loss of passport, driver’s license and even custody.

According to the 2006 census, there were about one million Canadian children who live without their father while custody is awarded solely to the mother about 80% of the time. A move to a presumption of equal, shared parenting following divorce in Canada is in the best interest of children, fathers, mothers and society at large.

CONTACT

Bradley Corbett
Spokesperson, Canadian Centre for Men and Families
info@menandfamilies.org
519-318-6169

-30-