The depiction of abuse in the Canadian legal system is quite broad, and can include many types of offences. These offences branch off depending on categories of action, such as whether the abuse is physical, sexual, or psychological, and the perpetrators of the abuse. One area of abuse is spousal abuse, which can also be grouped under the broader category of domestic abuse. In 2014, Statistics Canada reported that nearly equal proportions of men and women experienced spousal abuse during the preceding five years, with about 342,000 women and 418,000 men across the provinces (Statistics Canada, Trends). However, the narrative that is painted across the country is that women are the only victims, and that “female victims suffer more physically, …show more content…
In the film, Paul Elam, the founder of controversial website A Voice for Men, states that “[the red pill moment] is the day you decide nothing looks the same” (Jaye). Dean Esmay, a former staff member at the website, also explains that the red pill moment encourages people to “stop pretending women are oppressed and the males are the oppressors...it’s a hateful lie, and it’s wrong” (Jaye). Essentially, believing that narrative that women are the main group being silenced about issues such as spousal abuse is a way to keep people from the truth, which is much more complex. Examples of silencing can especially be seen in Toronto, with various protests including language such as “racist, sexist, anti-gay, MRAs, go away” (Jaye). The events depicted in the documentary were the Rally for Men and Boys in Crisis, and a speaker at UofT with talking points about men’s issues, with protestors at UofT even illegally pulled the fire alarm in order to …show more content…
One example that directly showcases this is that there are only government run support groups for female victims and male batterers, but not the other way around. This stems from the ideas depicted in the blue pill mentality, which states that men are always the oppressors and women are always oppressed. The idea that men are inherently violent is also attached to this, with the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime citing “poor communication skills and lack of spirituality” (CRCVC 2). They also claim that the cycle of violence, involving the tension building, acute battering, and tranquil phases, is male-centric. An account that combats the idea that men are only irrationally violent comes from a Reddit thread, titled “Men of Reddit who were victims of domestic violence by a woman, what’s your story?”, in which user Unoitsso speaks about her husband’s ex-wife and says, “Her first attempt at his life, was over him eating a candy bar from her stash. She stabbed him with a screw driver and pushed him down the stairs” (Reddit). This irrational action is just one example that proves that anger is not only present in males. Another example of the inequalities men face is the lack of support for men in shelters run by the government, with 90% of them forbidding men and boys over the age of twelve. As of 2018, there