Istanbul Convention: Totalitarianism Continues Its Steady March Across Europe

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Mike Buchanan

Telephone: +44 7967 026163

Istanbul Convention: Totalitarianism Continues Its Steady March Across Europe

June 2, 2023 – Frans Timmerman, vice president of the European Commission, recently wrote a commentary titled, “Totalitarianism Has Returned to Europe.” Noting that “One hundred years after its first incarnations, totalitarianism has made a comeback on our continent,” Timmerman called for “rule of law, respect for human rights, and fundamental freedoms.” (1)

Although Timmerman was referring to the Russian incursion into Ukraine, his comments equally apply to the controversial Istanbul Convention (2). Yesterday, the European Union announced, “The Council today approved the EU’s accession to the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.” (3)

The first casualty of totalitarian rule is the truth, and the EU Council statement exemplifies this fact. Numerous research studies conducted across Europe show that women are as likely, or more likely, than men to instigate domestic abuse (4). In contrast, the Council press release uses the phrase, “violence against women,” 11 times. The release does not mention “violence against men” a single time, implying that male victims don’t exist, or if they do, don’t have any legal right to assistance.

This denial creates a barrier for men like Tom Somerset-How of England, who suffers from cerebral palsy and was bed-ridden. For years, Somerset-How’s wife abused him and treated him like a “piece of property.” Judge William Ashworth recently concluded, “There is ample evidence that Tom was held as if he was a cattle or animal.” (5)

The Marxist roots of the Istanbul Convention have been extensively documented (6). For example, the preamble to the Convention calls for the “de facto” equality between men and women, meaning there should be no social differences or division of labor between the sexes. The Ordo Iuris Institute has explained the ideological basis for this statement: “in Marx’s work, it is the ‘division of labour’ that is the primary source of all social conflicts, because it generates inequality.” (7)

The Council’s accession of the Istanbul Convention is certain to have far-reaching effects on the willingness of men to partner with women and to marry, with devastating effects on the long-term viability of the European family (8). Declining marriage rates translate into lower birth numbers, contributing to the demographic crisis (9).

Member-nations of the European Union must resist the expansion of Marxist-inspired policies, relying on all measures at their disposal.

The Domestic Abuse and Violence International Alliance – DAVIA — consists of 88 member organizations from 32 countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and North America. DAVIA seeks to ensure that domestic violence and abuse polices are science-based, family-affirming, and sex-inclusive. https://endtodv.org/davia/

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