eminist fa TERRI Petkau is a young sociologist who has been brought up sharp against the fallac- ies of the feminist per- spective, while com- pleting, with distine- tion, a tightly argued MA thesis at McMaster University, Hamilton. Mis, Potkau had endeay oured to evaluate the percep: Uons that patrol constables had of their wite-assault sen- sitivity training. And what these front-line workers had to say threat- ened to overturn her once firmly entrenched feminist sensibili The training, informed completely by femi- nist strictures, is doing more harm than good. But first to Terri Peckau. Her feminist bono fides are bevond reproach. “T saw the male species as opEressors of women since time immemorial,” Ms. Petkau told me. ‘T marched; Edrew up petitions; | camped out at city hail.” But Petkau is also intellee- tually honest. “T listened to the Off-leash Dear Editor: In regards to your article, “Oif-leash trial advocated” (Feb, 17) E would like to efar- ify a couple of things. There are actually at least 18 designated places where yeu can walk your dog off- leash in North Van District, more if you count such rhings as the Baden Powell trail, the trails under the powerlines and the several off-ieash areas of Lynn Canyon Park as muil- tiples West Van has at tease 11, more if you again count the Raden Powell and the other many trails above the British Properties as multiples. The Greater Vancouver Regional District. contains over 50 designated of leash areas, My company has recently published a book called Where to Walk Your Doq tn Greater Vancouver. and ir can show folks where those places are and what the walk is like. [It is available everywhere. I believe many of the parks put forth, such as Victoria Park and Boulevard Park, are probably not suitable for run- ning dogs atfleash, White it may be fine to run toy dogs and the like of Pleash ina grassy ticld surrounded by roads, large dogs can too easily blunder into the traffic. There are a number of alternatives, however, which could be considered. The city contains a num: ber of treed parks with trails, the ravine in’ Mahon Park being a good example. Giving dog-walkers desig: nated areas where they can run their dogs is good for all. 1 would like to commend the reereation committee for its decision to recommend olfleash zoning for Lynnmouth. Sadly lacking all over the city is Water access for dogs; Hero, my co-author, isa Golden Retriever and there- fore greatly fond of water. It would also be a wise conunent accounts of the police ofti- cers,” she said, “and f could: we believe what P was hear ing.” Having been told by the police force's men and women that the feminist training was failing, Petkau set out to tind out why. The tollowing is my crude precis of Ms. Petkau’s study. While the feminist per- spective now poses as the truth, in reality it is nothing but a theoretical understand: ing. fis take on wife assault is “just one of many competing perspectives.” The feminist orthodoyy, Moreover, “appeals to care- fully selected studies thar support its view and over- looks, discounts, or ignores those studies challenging it.” How does this perspective ingratiate itself? First, it acl otters up caretully crated, mutually cvelusive categories of sietit and offender: the WOT IS pure, moral and blaneless: the mate ts cast as inherently immoral, desery ing only condemnation ang punbhment This one was process in feminist training does not permin shades of grey. The men and woos of this particular patrol constab ulary are also taught to per ceive the couples, with whom thes intervene, as being mired in relationships of power, control and escaha- don. Feminist trainers speak authoritatively about the tri- umph of terminating the abusive relavenship. the evele of leaving and rerarning to the villain, and the inevitable revictimization by a patriar- chal society. These concepts are the seatfolding of this perspective and are aot te be questioned, Telling patrel constables that wife assault exists equally across the socio-economic board is another fallacy foist- ed on Ms. Petkau’s officers, Research, however, pretty much confirms what the off cers experience: wife assault dog areas abound political move to ratifi this, council members; apparently about half of us have a dog in the family! For updates on the off: leash situation visit our Web site at . Ross *V. Powell North Vancouver Thanks for 13 Great Years! 30% OFF STOCK Girders & Beams Toy Store LONSDALE Quay 984-9200 Imagine... Shopping at Home Draperies * Bedding Valances * Upholstery ° Blinds Specializing itt: Only the look is expensive! JABOT Creative Window Coverings & Home Decorating Ideas 2413 Marine Dr., West Van 922-4668 ce er Isdargedy a tower dass phe HOMCTON Bat tennis, who need people ta boheve domestic violence is an equal opportu nity offender, would sooner fortify this mythology than direct resaurees where need ed. The feminist training serutinized bw Ms. Perkaut is also peared at making front line officers disregard the dif terence between the rare cases of cxtreme vioicnee, and “the minor levels of vie fence” they encounter on their patrols, By the ume they complete the sensitivity taining, police patrol trainees have been exposed repeatedly to visuals of rare atrocity stories, This feeds nto the con- cept ofa continuuittof vie lence against women. Ef every incident between a man anda woman can be tramed asa prelude to an atrocity, then all men can be branded as predators. Another training- town has it that a woman's prob- lematic behaviour, such as drug addiction or child abuse, i is a consequence of her victimization, whereas a man’s behaviour is always his responsibility Said Petkau: “AIT could think was that no ane was hefping these women.” No one, least of all femi- nist counsellors, would hold these women accountable for their role in the violence. Plagued by the same dys- functional patterns over and Friday. February 26, 1995 — North Shore News - 7 over again, vet berms assured bs their helpers thar the problem dies wide the main, these women are fitted to shuttle trom one vielen rel Ronship to another Avene who has atrended Jd feminist Ura COUN knows the anti intellectual Slantit invariably adopts. If veu dare to venture an evpha ition sor human behaviour that doesn’t mesh with the feminist creda, vou are warned about perpetuating unhelptul ovths. But patrol constables in Ms. Petkau’s sample are hav: ing a hard time swallowing all this. Is it because the men and women on the “shop Hoar” are part of an oppressive sys- rem? No, Apparently, constables that interface with couples in strife simply don’t see what their feminist trainers want them to see. They don't report formulaic escalation. They find instead that men and women are both equally capable of initiating violent Ae. Patrol constables, said: Ms. Perkau, have strong commit- ments to neutrality and a es hurt police training Keen sense of pastice, But the policies they must follow are “atten based on extreme csamples ane do not retiect the completes of societ lite.” The protocols patral con stables have to tollow are just as divorced trom instinct as the policies on whieh they are founded. Despite the fact these effi cots ve riniquely positioned to make pronouncements on domestic violence, Ui tir per- ceptions don't seem to count in the precinet Ms. Petkau examined. Presently these officers reject the feminist account of wile asaauit because it isnt consistent with what they encounter on the beat. Ms Petkau nored that these front-line workers are given no credibility because, in Ontario az least, the feri- nist lobby gers to define “what occurs in intimate vio- levice as well as suggest solu- tions.” f, for one, want to see women of Ms. Perkau’s eali- bre assume their rightful position among the doyennes of policy makers, But right now ne listening. — quan e@attcanadanet | AL services Olt, Lube & Filter fly area” 21 pt. Safety check, 15 minutes - FAST! Inctudes up to 5 Iitres of 1OwW30 Quakerstate 1362 Marine Drive 980-9115 Mon-Sat &:00arm-6:00pm, Sun. 9:00arn-5:00pm Expires Mar. 10/99 os Kona: King Kikapu | ae : Bomer z Bam. ii auc