NOW-NYS Denounces So-Called Fathers Rights Day of Action

ALBANY, NY (06/16/2008)(readMedia)-- The National Organization for Women and women's rights supporters will hold a press conference on Tuesday, June 17, 2008 at 10:00 am. The location is the press room which is now located near the Convention Center at the Empire State Plaza.

NOW NYS has learned that NYS Assemblyman John McEneny (D) is sponsoring the June 17 "action day" for a group of so-called "fathers rights" activists. He has aligned himself with a group of people whose members have threatened legislators and women's rights activists, and who persist in efforts to take children away from their mothers. These bills, A08627/S1349, are sponsored by Assemblymen Michael Benjamin (D) and Senator Owen Johnson (R), and would require that judges would be mandated to award joint custody before hearing the facts of the case.

NOW NYS continues to oppose such legislation, mandates that judges give joint custody even to sex abusers and perpetrators of violence. How can Assemblyman McEneny believe that this legislation is helpful to women and their children? The so-called "fathers rights" groups and McEneny would like for you to believe that this legislation is in the best interest of children. But it is actually in the best interest only of men who want to maintain power and control over women by moving one step closer to taking children away from loving mothers.

"Much of the time mothers do get custody of the children, but it is because the parents have come to an agreement. The small numbers of remaining cases are contested for very good reasons. So-called "fathers rights" activists, many of whom fall into the aforementioned five percent, would have you believe they are loving, fair and non-abusive. Often this is quite far from the truth. And abusive fathers suing for custody have been shown to win custody in from fifty to seventy percent of cases," states President of NOW-NYS, Marcia Pappas.

McEneny claims to be a supporter of women's rights. This most recent move to sponsor a legislative day for individuals who do not care about the well being of children proves otherwise. He will need to answer for this most recent move against women and their children.

NOW NYS denounces Court-Mandated Joint Custody because if puts children as risk of being forced into the company of abusive parents. Furthermore, New York's mothers and women's rights activists will respond to McEnemy et. al. at the ballot box.