Dworkin on Spousal Abuse

Andrea Dworkin’s article, “Trapped in a Pattern of Pain Where No One Can Help” (Opinion, June 26), had a deeply disturbing effect on me and should be required reading for every legislator. We have laws to protect children from abuse which do not require the child to press charges. When a battered woman repeatedly contacts authorities that in itself should be enough to warrant legal intervention.

My own experience in a previous marriage corroborates Dworkin’s chilling description of spousal abuse. It is too late to save Nicole Simpson. Like too many women before her, she is dead. If we can finally admit women are being brutalized and it is not a domestic problem, but a violent crime where arrest should be mandatory, then maybe she won’t have died for nothing.

PEGGY GODDARD

Canoga Park

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After reading Dworkin’s article on wife abuse, I came to the opinion that it was more a vehicle to describe her hate for men. Her generalizations were blatant, and statistics unsupported.

The word abuser is genderless, and there should be a very high price paid by those who choose to be abusers. Sadly, in a world lacking moral fortitude and a justice system that has become a playground for the wicked, it is the victim who usually ends up paying that price.

This kind of article only expresses a mind-set that can neither accurately describe the problem nor offer any solutions.

JEFF LUEKEN

West Los Angeles

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Regarding Dworkin’s article on women being abused by their husbands:

This issue is a part of the pervasive view in our society that women and girls are the property of their fathers, husbands or lovers. The solution involves several things that all women in our society must have: access to reproductive health care--contraceptives and abortion--so that they can control their bodies and lives; educational opportunities equal to those of men; employment opportunities equal to those of men (currently prevented by the old boys’ network), and salaries that equate to those of male workers.

Then there will be a basis for a societal attitude change. Then women will be empowered to walk out of an abusive relationship, and know that the abuser will be punished.

CHERYL KOHR

Redondo Beach