IN A HORRIFIC SCENE, Hannah’s ex ambushed her on the way to school, doused her children and her with gasoline and set them on fire. The children died at the scene, but Hannah was taken to the hospital where she died 12 hours later. The father killed himself at the scene after stopping a bystander from helping Hannah, saying he wanted to see her burn to death.
Hannah had left the marriage in November due to her husband’s violent behavior. It is believed she was granted a restraining order, but the father was allowed to battle her for custody of their three young children. And therein lies the problem. A father who is violent to the mother or the children should automatically lose his right to custody. Instead, family courts are minimizing violence by fathers and granting them custody, deliberately endangering children. OUTRAGE at MSM MUCH of the mainstream media is portraying the father sympathetically saying he was a “good bloke” “a fun-loving ex-NRL star,” and a “dedicated dad” who was upset because he was in a custody battle for his kids. This shows the patriarchal influence over mainstream media. But fortunately there's an outcry about this compassionate portrayal of a woman/children murderer on social and alternative media: “#HannahClarke and her kids were murdered by a violent man. Australia’s patriarchal mainstream media spins it as him being a top bloke who was good at sportsball. When are they going to tell the truth about domestic violence?” @DamienWise tweeting outrage at MSM “You would think that by 2020 people might understand that if a custody battle could lead a man to kill his own children, then there is a reason his ex was trying to keep him the f**k away from them…” Claire Boland tweet “#HannahClarke and her kids were murdered by a violent man. Australia’s patriarchal mainstream media spins it as him being a top bloke who was good at sportsball. When are they going to tell the truth about domestic violence?” @DamienWise tweet 'Goodnight my babies’, read a news.com.au headline, as though Rowan was simply tucking his kids in bed instead of brutally setting them on fire. By leading with a quote from the murderer, this headline centres Rowan as a loving father. By constantly mentioning the killer’s hobbies and former job – and failing to name Hannah and her children – these stories attempt to soften Rowan’s actions. By focusing on the custody case and describing Rowan as a dedicated father who was driven crazy after being separated from his kids, these pieces justify his despicable actions and place a degree of blame on Hannah for leaving her clearly dangerous husband and trying to keep her children safe.” FROM: Stop Calling Murderers “Good Blokes” https://www.marieclaire.com.au/hannah-clarke-murder-domestic-violence “…[T]he media reporting to date fuels the narrative that we know is so damaging. It focuses on the man who fell from grace, as though this act was in isolation. Time and time again, history has taught us that entitled men kill the women in their life and her children to exert power, control and dominance. And yet, we hear so little about Hannah and her children. Instead, the narrative implores us to empathise with a “troubled” man or to demonise the killer as some kind of “monster”. This is an exercise in othering. Overnight, I’ve been contacted by friends of Hannah and they describe her in the most beautiful of ways: A woman with grit, resilience, determination and a wonderful mother and caring partner. And in spite of all of her life’s achievements, the Australian media has, almost collectively, wanted for us to feel for the person responsible for the deaths of a woman and her children. No thank you. Not today, not ever. Hannah, I am sorry we failed you. I hope that if there is a life after this world, you’re reunited with Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey where he can’t hurt you anymore ❤️ Post by Tarang Chawla TWC NOTE: It is a good thing that people are recognizing media bias towards fathers and voicing outrage at the sympathetic portrayal of a killer father, but we also need public outrage at Family Courts for routinely endangering women and children after divorce. WHY is this happening? To understand why there is an epidemic of Family Court judges giving custody to abusive fathers, watch this powerpoint video: The Custody Crisis: Why Women Are Losing Custody & Unable to Protect Their Children https://youtu.be/Wgo4Rpvy7bc WANT TO HELP? Want to help end the crisis? Join your local coalition to help raise awareness and fight for a new system where women have the power to keep and protect their children after divorce: [email protected] *If you appreciate the work of the Women's Coalition, please consider contributing in one of these ways: Paypal: http://bit.ly/DonateWomensCoalition Facebook donate button: https://www.facebook.com/TheWomensCoalition Host a Facebook fundraiser. Use Amazon Smile: https://smile.amazon.com/ [Pictured: Hannah, Laianah, Aaliyah and Trey]
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"I kept telling the judge, if you're not going to remove the children, they are going to die under his care and custody."
Justyna, Thomas’ mother Little Thomas died of hypothermia after being forced by his father to sleep in the garage in 19 degrees weather without a mattress, blanket or pillow. His father was caught on tape the next morning pouring a bucket of cold water over Thomas’ head while he was unable to even walk due to hypothermia, and then suffocating him with his hands over his mouth. New York Family Court Judge Hope Schwartz Zimmerman granted sole custody of Thomas and his brothers to their father two years ago and kept them in his sole custody, despite ongoing severe abuse and neglect documented by his mother and many professionals: counselors, doctors and child protective services workers. And, as usual, the judge allowed the abusive father to keep all three boys away from their loving mother, Justyna. Judge Zimmerman disregarded all the evidence of abuse and Justyna’s pleas for protection. Her only concern was keeping the father in power over his children, and over Justyna through her children. Now Little Thomas is dead, after years of enduring horrific pain and torture, enabled by a biased family court system that routinely grants custody to abusive fathers. The father has been charged with murder and imprisoned without bond, which is the only reason Justyna has been granted temporary custody of her other boys. MSM coverage: Mother of slain 8-year-old says father was abusive for years http://longisland.news12.com/story/41609677/mother-of-slain-8yearold-says-father-was-abusive-for-years Officer Charged in Murder of Son, 8, Kept in Freezing Garage, Police Say https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/24/nyregion/michael-valva-thomas-nypd.html?fbclid=IwAR347SJOcPaOa6Jcyrg8aZdMYqknydsqHrAEpRt6IhuUY6LFQH_ufat4MKM TWC NOTE: Don’t be distracted by the media’s focus on child protective services’ failure to protect. It is the family court judge who makes the ruling in a contested custody case, so that is who is responsible for the child’s death. Petition: https://www.change.org/p/governor-andrew-m-cuomo-for-judge-hope-schwartz-zimmerman-to-resign-and-have-her-license-revoked?source_location=petitions_browse&fbclid=IwAR3Z-9BUNkBs1xxpaO-u0i4R_W1gPjcVluuNwppIVue9SsEsOe7hANhK5x4 Be Part of the Change: Be part of your local Coalition! Email: [email protected] [Subject: local coalition] *If you appreciate the work of the Women's Coalition, please consider donating on Facebook or Paypal: http://bit.ly/DonateWomensCoalition [Pictured: Justyna and Thomas] “I cannot live with [my father] anymore. I can’t take any more of his abuse and the courts forcing me to live like a prisoner with [him]. PLEASE HELP ME! I am afraid for my life and will keep running away until I am safe at home with my mom.” 12 year-old Avery “Clint is sadly still living with his abuser…but not for long. The deviant is being exposed for what he is and the community is rallying to help my children get to safety.” Kassia, protective mom Avery's Letter 12 year-old Avery ran away from her reportedly abusive father 5 days ago in Austin, Texas. The Amber Alert got much media attention, with law enforcement falsely claiming she was in danger with her mother so that the public would turn her in.
A warrant was issued for her mother, Kassia, even though she insisted Avery ran away on her own. Kassia has posted bond and awaits trial. Avery turned herself in two days ago, and apparently was not forced to return to her father—yet. Kassia is not allowed to know where her own daughter has been taken, but it is feared that Avery has been forced into “reunification therapy”, which is where children often go when they will not stop reporting abuse. That is where they are tortured into recanting abuse by fathers. Avery and Kassia have been trying for years to get protection for her little brother, who reported ongoing sexual abuse by his father. As usual, Family Court covered up the abuse and gave sole custody to the father. The publicity from Avery running away and bravely writing her letter exposing her father's abuse is gaining public support for her and her brother. “My sister and her children have been in a nightmare since November of 2016 when my niece made an outcry of sexual abuse to her brother by her father. Many outcries were made by my niece and nephew and investigations…After countless people failed to help/protect Avery and Clint, the children were forcibly removed from Kassia’s custody in July 2019…They have been with their abuser with absolutely no contact with their mother since then. Avery ran away because she is being tortured mentally for sticking to her guns and stating over and over that she doesn’t want to live with an abuser…Here is Avery’s account, in her own words and writing. I am begging you, for the sake of my niece and nephew to PLEASE SHARE THIS POST. SOMEONE HAS TO HEAR THESE CHILDREN AND HELP THEM!!!” Avery’s aunt For more info on the Custody Crisis: https://www.womenscoalitioninternational.org/ To join a local group to help end the crisis: [email protected] [Pictured: Kassia & kids] “[Avery] absolutely knew that something bad was going to happen and nobody would believe her unless she had it on film…I would hate for justice not to be served and the system again fail my precious daughter."
Protective Mom Allison A brave Florida teen, taken away from her mother at a young age and placed in the sole custody of her abusive father, resorted to secretly recording the abuse in the hope of finally being protected. The teen’s wealthy father was arrested earlier this month after the video surfaced, but was immediately released on a paltry $4,000 bond. The teen was placed temporarily in the custody of her father’s best friend, where he threatened her to stay silent about his abuse of her dog and her or she would be thrown into foster care. Allison, the teen’s mother, has filed a domestic violence injunction on behalf of her daughter. The father is fighting the injunction, saying a minor’s counsel should represent the teen’s interests. But, as most protective mothers know, children’s attorneys often side with abusive fathers, especially wealthy ones. Allison has been fighting unsuccessfully for her daughter virtually her entire childhood. The judge apparently made false findings that she was mentally ill and a drug addict in order to justify giving sole custody to the father. Although it is being portrayed the reason the girl was not protected is that she was not believed. However, that is implausible as she has been reporting abuse for years. The truth is she was systematically discredited and silenced, just like millions of other children around the world, where systems function to maintain the father’s control and entitlement, regardless of how abusive he is. Hopefully, since this case is getting international attention, the teen will be spared the usual outcome—forced to continue to live with her abusive father—and instead be returned to the loving arms of her protective mother. Watch this page for updates. FOLLOWING are excerpts from: Mother of teen who captured video of alleged abuser: 'She is absolutely my hero' https://weartv.com/news/local/mother-of-teen-who-captured-video-of-alleged-abuser-she-is-absolutely-my-hero Tringas said she and her daughter tried reporting the abuse for years, but she said authorities did not believe them. That's when the teen installed a Nest camera to capture the actions of 47-year-old Damon Becnel. “Nothing was done. Nothing has ever been done to help my daughter," said [Allison] Tringas. “She absolutely knew that something bad was going to happen and nobody would believe her unless she had that on film," added Tringas. In the videos, you can watch Becnel scream, point and headbutt the girl. The video also shows Becnel hitting the dog, holding an object to its neck and threatening to cut the animal's throat. His arrest report states that the object was a knife. “What he did in one night is going to probably take years to undo," said Tringas. Becnel was arrested and charged with one count of child abuse and one count of animal abuse. Tringas is thankful her daughter took matters into her own hands. “She is one strong and one smart little girl and I couldn’t be more proud of her. She is absolutely my hero. She is my hero. I would hate for justice not to be served and the system, again, fail my precious daughter," said Tringas. Becnel was released on a $4,000 bond. He's scheduled to appear in court on February 4. FOR MORE INFORMATION on the Custody Crisis: https://www.womenscoalitioninternational.org/ [Pictured: Protective Mother Allison] |
AuthorCindy Dumas, M.A. has been researching, writing, and raising awareness about the Custody Crisis since 2003, when she was unable to protect her children from their abusive father. She fled into hiding when Family Court failed her and was tricked into returning home, when her children were given to their abusive father. Archives
January 2022
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