24 July 2002

Women’s Refuge Makes Complaint About Act Party Leaflet

Women’s Refuge has called for an apology and a retraction from the ACT party, in a complaint that was filed with the Advertising Standards Authority, the Human Rights Commission, and the Electoral Commission today concerning statements about ‘solo mothers’.

Women’s Refuge claims that a statement attributed to Dr Muriel Newman, which says that “the most unsafe environment in which to raise a child is a family headed by a solo mother with a series of different partners”, is highly offensive to single mothers, discriminatory and misleading.
“From our 30 years of work with women and children who have experienced violence, we know that the most ‘unsafe environment’ to raise a child is in a family headed by a controlling dominating male.

“Single mothers are not to blame for men’s violence, nor should they be blamed for the social and economic disadvantages they often have to endure” said Women’s Refuge National Coordinator Roma Balzer.

“It’s time to stop using emotive stereotypes about single mothers, and look at the real problems that effect outcomes for children- poverty and violence” Ms Balzer said.

ENDS