Month: April 2025

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Robert D. Thompson

1-301-801-0608

Email: info@saveservices.org

Seventeen Organizations Call on Congress to Cut Budget for Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)

April 23, 2025 / WASHINGTON — Seventeen national organizations have sent a letter to the House Appropriations Committee in Congress calling for changes to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in the FY2026 Federal budget (1) and (2).

According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year there are 6.5 million male victims and 5.9 million female victims of domestic violence (3).

One of its largest VAWA programs is the STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant program, which each year awards over $170 million to states. It allocates the funding in this way: (4)

• 25 percent for law enforcement
• 25 percent for prosecutors
• 30 percent for victim services
• 5 percent to state and local courts

The 17 organizations called upon the House Appropriations Committee to reduce the funding for this Grant Program, as part of its Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriation bill. These reductions are essential to curb federally funded programs that are wasteful, harmful, and violate the Fourteenth Amendment which promises equal treatment under law to all citizens.

They are requesting a 50% reduction to $85 million annually in funding until the following problems areas are resolved.

1. Domestic violence programs openly discriminate against male victims: (5) Only 9% of victims served under VAWA are male: (6)
2. Biased training of police results in 80% of DV arrestees being male: (7)
3. Prosecutors are less vigorous in their prosecution of women accused of domestic violence: (8)
4. Biased training of judges has undermined the principle of “equal justice under law.” (9)

The 50% reduction is appropriate, given the fact that men, who represent over half of all domestic violence victims, are largely ignored by VAWA funded programs and services.

In addition, the American Bar Association recently announced that the Trump administration is terminating all of their grants received from the DOJ’s Office of Violence Against Women. (10)

SAVE – Stop Abusive and Violent Environments – is a 501(c)3 organization working to assure due process, fairness, and equal opportunities for men.

Links:

1. https://endtodv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Shortchanging-Women.pdf
2. https://www.saveservices.org/2025/04/house-appropriations-fy26-budget-request-concerning-vawa/
3.   CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/nisvs/documentation/NISVSReportonIPV_2022.pdf
4. https://www.justice.gov/ovw/stop-violence-against-women-formula-grant-program
5. https://endtodv.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Discrimination-Against-Male-Victims.pdf
6. https://www.vawamei.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2022-Biennial-Report-to-Congress_FINAL.pdf
7. https://endtodv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Arrest-Policies.pdf
8. https://endtodv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Diversion-Programs.pdf
9. https://endtodv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Bias-In-The-Judiciary.pdf
10. Marisa Kabas (@marisakabas.bsky.social)

April 17, 2025

Congressman John Carter

Member, House Appropriations Committee

2208 Rayburn House Office building

Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Congressman Carter,

Thank you for inviting us to submit our budget request for the FY26 appropriations process. As part of the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill, the undersigned organizations are requesting several changes regarding the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year there are 6.5 million male victims and 5.9 million female victims of domestic violence (CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/nisvs/documentation/NISVSReportonIPV_2022.pdf , Table 2).

One of its largest VAWA programs is the STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant program, which each year awards over $170 million to states. It allocates the funding in this way: https://www.justice.gov/ovw/stop-violence-against-women-formula-grant-program

• 25 percent for law enforcement
• 25 percent for prosecutors
• 30 percent for victim services
• 5 percent to state and local courts

We are writing to request that the House Appropriations Committee reduce the funding for this Grant Program, as part of its Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriation bill. These reductions are essential to curb federally funded programs that are wasteful, harmful, and violate the Fourteenth Amendment which promises equal treatment under law to all citizens.

The undersigned organizations are requesting a 50% reduction to $85 million annually in funding until the following problems areas are resolved. The 50% reduction is appropriate, given the fact that men, who represent over half of all domestic violence victims, are largely ignored by VAWA funded programs and services.

1. Domestic violence programs openly discriminate against male victims: https://endtodv.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Discrimination-Against-Male-Victims.pdf  Only 9% of victims served under VAWA are male: https://www.vawamei.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2022-Biennial-Report-to-Congress_FINAL.pdf
2. Biased training of police results in 80% of DV arrestees being male: https://endtodv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Arrest-Policies.pdf
3. Prosecutors are less vigorous in their prosecution of women accused of domestic violence: https://endtodv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Diversion-Programs.pdf
4. Biased training of judges has undermined the principle of “equal justice under law.” https://endtodv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Bias-In-The-Judiciary.pdf

We are asking the Appropriations Committee to institute the following changes with the VAWA program:

• Require 100% audits of all VAWA grants. See report, Continued Culture of Corruption at Domestic Abuse Shelters https://www.saveservices.org/2024/03/continued-culture-of-corruption-at-domestic-abuse-shelters/
• More outreach to male victims, equal services to male victims across the full spectrum of services, especially housing,

If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely,

Stop Abusive and Violent Environments (SAVE)

Colorado Children’s Center

Colorado Parental Alienation Support

Colorado Resilience

ConservativeHQ.com

Domestic Violence Wears Many Tags

Family Preservation Alliance

Father X Productions

Men Are Good

Men Need to be Heard

Mission America

PA Support & Intervention

Parental Alienation Consortium

Parental Alienation is Real

Parental Alienation Study Group

Washington Initiative for Boys and Men

Working Well With Men

​

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Robert D. Thompson

1-301-801-0608

Email: info@saveservices.org

Transgender Ideology Being Used to Remove Children from Their Fathers 

April 16, 2025 / WASHINGTON — The U.S. Constitution affirms the fundamental right of parents to make decisions about their own child’s education, healthcare, and religious upbringing. But this right is now being threatened by state agencies and courts throughout the country, thanks to a wave of transgender activism. (1)

These are examples in which parents have lost their children through the court system:

• Jeff Younger, a Texas father, lost his years-long battle in the courts to keep his ex-wife from allowing their pre-teen son, who identifies as a girl named “Luna,” to receive gender-affirming care. (2)

• Dennis Hannon, a New York father — – thanks to a decision by the Erie County Supreme Court — lost all parental rights except for visitation rights to see his nine-year-old son, who had been living as a girl on the days he stayed with Hannon’s ex-wife. (3)

• Jeremy and Mary Cox, an Indiana couple, lost custody of their trans teen when the Department of Child Services recommended to a County Judge that the teen be placed in a home that “affirms her identity.” (4)

On the state level, the Colorado legislature is currently considering HB25-1312, ‘Legal Protections for Transgender Individuals.’ This bill allows one parent to declare that their child is LGBTQ or transgender, and then accuse the other parent of abuse or coercive control simply for disagreeing—even if the child never expressed that identity themselves. (5)

To counter this wave of transgender activism, earlier this year, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), introduced the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act, (S.204) (6) and (H.R. 650) (7) This legislation would protect the right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and health care of their children by applying the strict scrutiny standard. (8)

Part of the problem lies with public schools that have established transgender policies that serve to keep parents in the dark about their child who is being transitioned:

• Illinois: Community Unit School District 300 uses a gender support plan that states the gender identity of students can be hidden from parents. (9)

• Washington: Cheney Public Schools has a policy that states the gender identity of students should be hidden from parents. (10)

SAVE calls upon Congress to swiftly pass the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act.

SAVE – Stop Abusive and Violent Environments – is a 501(c)3 organization working to assure due process, fairness, and equal opportunities for men.

Links:

1. https://americafirstpolicy.com/issues/parental-rights-are-constitutionally-established-and-deeply-rooted-in-the-supreme-law-of-the-land#
2. https://nypost.com/2024/11/22/us-news/jeff-youngers-ex-can-proceed-with-gender-affirming-care-of-preteen-son/
3. https://nbcmontana.com/news/nation-world/framed-as-a-bigot-ny-father-loses-custody-of-son-after-questioning-gender-transition-software-engineer-dennis-hannon-32-told-the-national-desk-tnd-monday-the-erie-county-supreme-court-upstate-new-york-transgender-lgbtq-rights-trans
4. https://www.reddit.com/r/transgender/comments/1asefs0/it_can_happen_anywhere_indiana_parents_lost/?rdt=65480
5. https://coloradoresilience.org/hb25-1312-a-dangerous-weapon-in-family-court/
6. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/204/related-bills
7. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/650
8. https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-lankford-foxx-introduce-bill-to-protect-parents-rights/
9. https://defendinged.org/incidents/community-unit-school-district-300-uses-gender-support-plan-that-appears-to-explain-the-gender-identity-of-students-can-be-hidden-from-parents/
10. https://defendinged.org/incidents/cheney-public-schools-has-policy-that-explicitly-states-that-the-gender-identity-of-students-should-be-hidden-from-parents/

State Bills Designed to Strengthen and Celebrate Fathers

SAVE

April 7, 2025

The following 10 bills, designed to strengthen and celebrate fathers, have been introduced in five states around the United States:

Missouri HB927 

Establishes provisions relating to fathership:

https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1785825/43389

This bill establishes two key initiatives related to fatherhood in Missouri: first, it designates June as “Fathership Month” to raise awareness about fathers’ importance in children’s lives. More substantively, the bill creates the “Missouri Fathership Project” within the Department of Social Services, which includes a grant program to support agencies and organizations that help fathers reconnect with and support their children. The project aims to empower fathers by helping them build life skills, improve self-esteem, and overcome barriers to family reunification. Agencies receiving grants will hire “fathership project specialists” who serve as one-on-one contacts for fathers seeking to reestablish relationships with their children, acting as liaisons with state agencies and helping fathers develop personalized plans to maintain connections with their kids. The bill establishes a dedicated state treasury fund to support these grants, requires annual reporting on project outcomes, and mandates that the Department of Social Services develop performance metrics to measure the project’s success in improving father involvement and case plan completion.

Missouri HB1441

Establishes provisions relating to duties of the department of social services

https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1844913/43389

This bill establishes new reporting requirements and creates an Office of Fatherhood within the Department of Social Services aimed at supporting two-parent families and fathers. The bill mandates annual reports to the General Assembly and Governor starting December 1, 2026, covering multiple areas: actions taken to implement the fourth goal of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program related to two-parent family formation, interdepartmental coordination to identify policies that impact two-parent families, and an analysis of child support guidelines and their potential negative consequences. The bill also establishes an Office of Fatherhood within the department, led by an assistant director, tasked with promoting father-supportive measures across state and local governments. The office will assess government programs’ impact on fatherhood, produce annual reports, and identify barriers to father participation. Additionally, the bill requires the department to partner with organizations to offer grants for programs promoting two-parent family formation, including marriage education, counseling, mediation, and public awareness campaigns. The legislation aims to encourage two-parent family stability by examining and potentially reforming policies that might inadvertently discourage or complicate family maintenance, with a particular focus on supporting fathers and their relationships with children.

Missouri HB380

Modifies provisions relating to the custody and support of children

https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1755884/43384

This bill modifies Missouri’s laws regarding child custody, support, and visitation, with several key provisions. The bill establishes a rebuttable presumption that equal or approximately equal parenting time is in the best interests of the child, requiring courts to consider specific factors when determining custody arrangements. It expands child support obligations, allowing support to continue until a child is 22 if they are enrolled in secondary or higher education, with specific requirements for maintaining eligibility. The bill introduces new provisions regarding termination of child support, including automatic termination under certain circumstances and processes for ending support through sworn statements. The legislation also strengthens protections for children by restricting custody and visitation rights for parents convicted of certain offenses involving children and emphasizes the importance of maintaining meaningful contact between children and both parents. Additionally, the bill adds a new provision that a parent who has not maintained contact with a child for six years or more may lose visitation rights. The overall aim is to create more comprehensive and flexible guidelines for child custody, support, and visitation that prioritize the child’s best interests while ensuring both parents have opportunities for meaningful involvement in their child’s life.

Missouri SB262

Modifies provisions relating to child custody

https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1755379/43353

This bill modifies Missouri’s laws relating to child custody, support, and guardianship, with several key provisions. It establishes a rebuttable presumption that equal parenting time is in the best interest of the child, meaning courts should default to shared custody unless specific evidence suggests otherwise. The bill expands requirements for notifying parents about potential custody transfers, relocation, or changes in a child’s residence, including mandatory notification to relatives and interested parties. It provides more detailed guidelines for terminating child support obligations, such as when a child reaches certain age milestones or becomes self-supporting. The legislation also strengthens protections for children by restricting custody for parents convicted of certain child-related criminal offenses and mandates more comprehensive reporting about a child’s living history and potential custody proceedings. Additionally, the bill clarifies procedures for third-party custody and guardianship, prioritizing relatives and establishing more transparent intervention rights for interested parties. The overall intent appears to be creating more comprehensive, transparent, and child-focused processes for managing custody, support, and guardianship arrangements, with an emphasis on maintaining meaningful relationships between children and parents while ensuring child safety.

New York A01211

Directs the office of children and family services to establish a center for fatherhood initiatives to issue grants to any and all initiatives regarding the promotion and advancement of fatherhood, including but not limited to all marginalized fatherhood groups to help expand opportunities to improve parenting knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy

https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1771543/43389

This bill directs the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) to establish a Center for Fatherhood Initiatives, which will have the primary responsibility of issuing grants to support various fatherhood-related programs. Specifically, the center will focus on promoting and advancing fatherhood initiatives, with a particular emphasis on marginalized fatherhood groups. The grants are intended to help expand opportunities that improve fathers’ parenting knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy. The bill requires the OCFS commissioner to develop and implement the necessary rules and regulations for creating, operating, and maintaining the center. By establishing this dedicated center, the bill aims to provide targeted support to fathers across different communities, recognizing the important role fathers play in child development and family dynamics. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage, allowing for prompt implementation of the new fatherhood initiatives center.

New York A07035

Establishes the office of black male excellence to analyze and provide recommendations regarding issues relating to black males including education, criminal justice, health, mental health, economic opportunity, employment, fatherhood, mentorship, violence, public safety, and quality of life.

https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1872359/43389

This bill establishes the Office of Black Male Excellence within the executive department of New York state, to be led by a director appointed by the governor. The office’s primary mission is to comprehensively analyze and provide recommendations on critical issues affecting Black males, including education, criminal justice, health, mental health, economic opportunity, employment, fatherhood, mentorship, violence, public safety, and quality of life. The director will be responsible for appointing staff, serving as a liaison to other state agencies and the public, and submitting an annual report by January 31st to the governor, senate president, and assembly speaker. The annual report must detail the office’s analyses, recommendations, interactions with individuals (disaggregated by demographics and geography), programs offered, and suggestions for improving state and municipal services. The bill specifically requires that the recommendations acknowledge any inequities Black males experience in these various areas, with the goal of addressing systemic challenges and improving outcomes for Black males in New York state. The legislation will take effect immediately upon passage.

North Carolina HB 780

HB 780, sponsored primarily by Representative Brenden Jones, aims to “empower North Carolina fathers by funding pro-father organizations like All Pro Dad.” The intent, as expressed in public statements, is to strengthen families, schools, and communities by supporting fathers’ roles, based on the premise that children with involved fathers tend to have better outcomes.

Tennessee HB1131

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 8; Title 33; Title 34; Title 36; Title 37; Title 41; Title 49; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to children.

https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1821054/43354

This is an equal shared parenting bill.

Texas HB3784

Relating to the creation of the Texas Commission for Boys and Men.

https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1853998/43389

This bill creates the Texas Commission for Boys and Men, a temporary commission designed to study and address challenges facing boys, male youth, and men in Texas. The commission will consist of 11 members (5 appointed by the governor, 3 by the lieutenant governor, and 3 by the speaker of the house), with members having expertise in areas like economics, education, criminal justice, and mental health. The commission is tasked with conducting a comprehensive study examining issues affecting males, including marriage, family stability, education, workforce participation, health, criminal justice involvement, substance abuse, and death rates. Members will evaluate existing state laws and regulations to identify those potentially hindering male prosperity and develop recommendations for improving outcomes. By November 1, 2026, the commission must publish its study and submit specific policy recommendations to state leadership aimed at promoting male well-being and advancing what the bill describes as “traditional, positive manhood.” The commission will operate without compensation for its members and is set to be automatically abolished on December 31, 2026, with the bill taking effect either immediately upon receiving a two-thirds legislative vote or on September 1, 2025, if immediate passage is not achieved.

Texas HCR16

Affirming that fatherhood is essential to the development of all children.

https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1751211/43389

That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby (1) affirms the importance of fatherhood in caring for, nurturing, and supporting children throughout their lives

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Robert D. Thompson

1-301-801-0608

Email: info@saveservices.org

GWU Law Professor Mary Anne Franks Espouses Extremist Views, Urges Violence Against Men

April 3, 2025 / WASHINGTON – Mary Anne Franks is a law professor at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. (1) In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 25, Franks was asked about an article she recently wrote in the New York University Law Review (2) that made extreme claims which are derogatory to men:

• “When the Supreme Court declares that there is a constitutional right to armed self-defense in public, it openly embraces and promotes a culture that privileges white men’s ability to terrorize and kill those they perceive as threats.”

• “By simultaneously expanding white men’s right to kill and constricting women’s right not to die, this Supreme Court has turned the constitution into a homicide pact, as well.”

• “Taken together these two cases demonstrate that the Supreme Court has embraced the use of the constitution as a tool of racial patriarchy.”

During the same hearing, Senator John Kennedy inquired about Franks’ tweets on Twitter that expressed her belief in the existence of “white male supremacy,” such as: (3)

• “There is a reason why the conservative dominated Supreme Court thinks the constitution does not contain a right to an abortion, but is convinced it contains an individual right to possess firearms and that reason is white male supremacy.”

In response, Senator Kennedy commented, “It feels like your favorite feeling is anger.”

Over the years, Mary Anne Franks has published at least two professional articles that openly advocate for vigilante justice against men:

• “Society would be better off as a whole if more women were willing to engage in justified violence against men… To that end, women’s justified violence against men should be encouraged, protected, and publicized.” — University of Miami School of Law, 2016 (4)

• “Legal and social practices must be transformed to disrupt this suboptimal status quo regarding violence, and this transformation should include focusing on encouraging women’s willingness and ability to engage in responsive violence against men, as well as raising the visibility of such responsive violence, in order to drive down the incidence of male violence.” University of Illinois Law Review, 2016 (5)

According to its Code of Ethical Conduct, George Washington University “strives to create a positive and ethical environment…The personal actions of each community member should establish and maintain the culture of acceptance and respect for which we strive.” (6)

SAVE urges persons to convey their concerns to the GWU Office of Ethics about Mary Anne Franks’ extreme and misandrous statements: (7) Persons also can convey their concerns directly to Professor Franks: m.franks@law.gwu.edu

SAVE – Stop Abusive and Violent Environments – is a 501(c)3 organization working to assure due process, fairness, and equal opportunities for men.

Links:

1.   https://www.law.gwu.edu/mary-anne-franks
2.   https://www.nyulawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/98-NYU-L-Rev-1881.pdf
3.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd-lH8SihAs&list=WL&index=139
4.   https://repository.law.miami.edu/fac_articles/200/
5.   https://illinoislawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Franks.pdf
6.   https://compliance.gwu.edu/code-ethical-conduct
7. https://compliance.gwu.edu/reporting