There is a lot about Kansas that I don’t like. It’s dull. You basically need a car to get around. The good bands don’t come here. Not to mention that it hates women and gay people. But now, it is ON.
Why is it on? What has the State of Kansas done now to make life even worse? They’ve legalized domestic violence. What else?
OK, that’s a little inflammatory. But only a little. Mother Jones and Feministing has a good rundown of what’s happened, but in essence it’s this: the Shawnee County DA announced that, because of cuts to its 2012 budget, it will no longer prosecute misdemeanors (which includes domestic battery). Instead, the DA says that the city should prosecute these crimes.
Not so fast! The city is strapped for cash, too. Never fear, the Topeka City Council has come up with a brilliant solution: repeal the part of the city code that makes domestic battery illegal!
Wow! We could have eliminated domestic violence years ago! I’m so proud of this innovative thinking coming from the Topeka City Council. Forget that the incidents of domestic violence went up 11% from 2008-2009 (2009 was the latest year I could find.) Also? It’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Way to go, jackass.
Topeka women are already seeing the effects of the budgetary squabble. The DA has rejected 30 domestic battery cases and three alleged offenders have been released. Given how hard it is to leave abusive relationships, the fact that no one in Shawnee County will prosecute is especially heinous. We already live in a rape culture. This is just one more instance where a woman’s well-being is secondary to…anything else. If you live in Topeka, click here and ask your council person to vote against this measure. I mean, seriously. WTF?
Image credit: USAG-Humpreys
Citizen of the World 