The Real Glenn Sacks Part IV - Child Abuse Defender by Jennifer Collins

Jennifer Collins is a university student who is investigating the unethical men's columnist who has been harassing and virtually stalking her and her family. (Part 4)

Forced Marriage
Glenn Sacks writes “Growing up, of course, I had no idea how lucky I was to have a good, stable, two-parent family”1 but then Sacks contradicts himself saying that his father was never around when he was a kid. He had a father “who worked six days a week…12 hour days when my sister and I were toddlers.” According to Glenn this went on for 25 years.2 Sacks reminisces “When I was a child, my father always had two pictures on his desk. One was a picture of my little sister standing in front of the refrigerator. The other one was of me.”3 Does anyone find the absence of a photo of Glenn Sacks mother on her husband’s desk curiously prophetic?

Sacks acknowledges “However, like most couples, they sometimes fought, yelled, and clashed. I am eternally grateful that they always worked out their problems, as opposed to giving up.”4 In those days divorce wasn’t really an option. Given the disturbing views Glenn Sacks has about women I doubt that his parents were ideal role models.

I find it particularly frightening that Glenn Sacks wants to force women to remain in marriages against their will. In his article “Can Abolishing Sole Custody Curb Divorce?” he advocates that by threatening the mother's possible of her loss of her children then "that problem is solved”.5

Keeping a failed marriage together - how does that work exactly? Enduring a failing marriage where both parents are obviously unhappy is the example you want to set for your daughters and sons? Isn't it easier and healthier for all involved to say "Hey, it didn't work out but as the mother of my children, I'll respect you and agree that a future together is probably not in everyone's best interests" then each parent has the ability to be happy again and happy parents = happy children.

Sacks admits that in most cases joint custody won’t work and is merely a threat to force women to remain in an abusive marriage. “The presumption of joint physical custody may even serve to keep some marriages together…. keeping marriages together should be a national priority. Changing the way custody is determined is the first step.”6 What if there is domestic violence involved? What then??? I assume Glenn Sacks is all for forcing battered women to remain subservient to their abusive husband. There is no way this could be in the best interest of children!

Minimizing Domestic Violence
Even though Glenn Sacks has admitted that he is a stay at home dad he claims that he knows best and “It's not true that domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to adult women.”7 Sacks continues to promotes his own agenda “Since October is ‘Domestic Violence Awareness Month’, I'll mark the occasion by examining four of the most prevalent feminist myths about violence in families.”8

Sacks continues to whine “men often get the short end of the stick on child custody, for example. They can easily be falsely accused of rape or domestic violence, they can be slapped with false paternity suits, and they have little recourse to law when ex-spouses interfere with their child visitation rights,”9

I can’t believe that Sacks claims that “Roughly half of all violent heterosexual relationships are mutually abusive, and domestic violence rates between men and women are comparable from small violence to serious violence, including murder.”10

Sacks spends way too much time and energy trying to debunk what he calls "myths" about men's behavior and by doing so he undermines the efforts to raise awareness about domestic violence.

Blaming the Victim
Glenn Sacks: “Legislation like the liberal feminist created Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) continue to perpetuate the myth that all men, by the their nature, are likely to become violent aggressors. In the meantime, American men are paying the price.”11 There are those words again – "All Men." All I can say is ->Projection!

Glenn Sacks consistently tries to rationalize the use of violence against women: “the most likely to result in future injury to women is when she initiates violence against him and he responds.”12 Sacks offers a bizarre suggestion on how to solve the problem of domestic violence: “In our PC/anti-male culture it needs to be said–the best way for a woman to avoid being hit by her male partner is to…not hit her male partner.”13

This is the typical ploy of an abuser! They attack women and when the woman tries to defend herself by pushing the man away, he claims that he’s also a victim of Domestic Violence! Protecting yourself from being abused is called self-defense that’s actually an instinctual response to being attacked – it’s NOT Domestic Violence!

Do Not Arrest Batterers
Glenn Sacks is openly against going after wife beaters because it might hurt a father’s outcome in custody disputes. “Since Maine family courts must consider evidence of domestic violence in determining child custody, an officer's decision on who to arrest can often determine who will get custody of the couple's children after the couple divorces or separates.”14 It’s simple Glenn - Arrest the one who is doing the abusing!

Glenn Sacks always manages to find some conspiracy in arresting a batterer: “Under the predominant aggressor doctrine, when police officers respond to a domestic disturbance call, they are instructed not to focus on who attacked whom and who inflicted the injuries, but instead consider different factors which will almost always weigh against men. These factors include: comparable size; comparable strength; the person allegedly least likely to be afraid; who has access to or control of family resources (i.e., who makes more money); and others. Given these factors, it is very difficult for officers to arrest female offenders.”15

What planet are you living on Glenn??? Go to any police station, ask the head of the DV unit how many women are arrested for domestic violence each year and then report back to us about what you find (along with the number of the person we can call to ensure you’re not lying/making stuff up again). Go ahead, I’ll wait…

It is difficult to remain calm with these consistent outrageous comments from Glenn Sacks. Don’t other people see what he is trying to do here? Everyone knows that there are some really bad men out there who beat up their wives and children. We should get them out of the home and away from their victims. The only men who have to worry about this law are the men who beat up on their wives and children. Like my mother has told my older brothers “If you think a woman is baiting you then just walk away!”

Defending Wife Beaters
Even when a man has been found in a court of law to be an abuser, Glenn Sacks thinks that he knows better! Glenn Sacks writes: “Holly received a contusion of the nose in 1982 while in family play with Mark, which was not intentional but solely an accident.”16 How does Glenn Sacks know that my father ‘accidentally’ punched my mother in the face? Oh yes… because my father said that it was an accident and we all know that batterers “Never” lie!

This used to really upset me and it upset my mother when she was younger. Now several people have explained to me that my father has put himself in a very unfavorable position by abusing us in the first place. I guess I really can't expect him to openly admit that he beat up his young pregnant wife and his vulnerable little children.

Okay, but then why is this stranger Glenn Sacks trying to inject himself into our story and defend a man who has been found in a court of law to be an abuser? “Holly did suffer a nose injury from play wrestling with Mark in 1982.”17 Does Mr. Sacks honestly think this is a justification of abuse? Even my father admitted “The two broken noses occurred when we were first married in my parents house" It is almost humorous that my father describes how it happens: "I rolled over asleep in bed.”18

Sacks continues to excuse my father’s abuse of my mother: “Holly and Mark were play wrestling as they often did because Mark, even though small in stature, had been a successful wrestler.”19 Oh… Is that what Glenn Sacks is calling domestic violence now? – “Play Wrestling.” Even if one of the parties was not a willing participant! My father was captain of his wrestling team. He was state champion! What in the world was he doing “wrestling” with his 6 month pregnant wife and putting her in the hospital 3 times in one month? It is interesting to note that even my father admitted that this time he also put her in the hospital by hitting her in the face when he was in bed.

“During the custody trial, Holly Collins accused Mark Collins of dislocating her shoulder. However, family members assert that while growing up, Holly had a shoulder that would periodically pop out of joint.”20

Oh so now according to Glenn Sacks it’s okay for my father to dislocate my mother’s shoulder because one other time (when my mother was a little girl) her shoulder was dislocated by her abusive mother. Mr. Sacks please provide the medical records to support your claims!

Glenn Sacks ignores my father’s testimony that he is responsible for this injury to my mother. Attorney: "She mentioned an episode involving a dislocated shoulder. Do you recall that episode?" Mark Collins (my father) : "Yes I do." Attorney: "Would you tell the court what happened." Mark Collins: "Her shoulder was dislocated just fooling around. I don’t know how to explain this . we were wrestling.” 21

What is most troubling is that Glenn Sacks ignores the effects of witnessing this abuse is to young children. My father testified that my brother and I witnessed him dislocating our mother’s shoulder. Attorney: "The dislocated shoulder was a wrestling episode? Was anybody else present during that, do you remember?" Mark Collins: "Just the children."22 Can anyone imagine how terrifying this was on two young children to witness their father hurting their mother like that, to hear her screams of pain? Witnessing our father abusing our mother was extremely traumatizing!

Sacks then claims that “Because Mark made a pro se legal mistake and did not refute Holly's allegations many years later that it was a deliberate act, the District Court had to find domestic abuse”23 I am wondering if Glenn Sacks ever tells the truth. I have the court transcripts from the January 1991! My father, Mark Collins was represented by Attorney Thomas Racette.24 Attorney Racette was the one who questioned both my father and my mother about the abuse.

My father appealed the lower courts finding that he abused our mother yet the appellate court upheld the finding. Again Glenn Sacks blatantly lies and states “for technical reasons the Appellate Court could not reverse the lower court's decision.”25

I don’t know how Glenn Sacks can get away with his blatant lies. The appellate court found that even though my father didn’t follow proper procedures during the appeal they considered his appeal anyway and upheld the findings of domestic abuse. “Finally father argues that the district court erred by finding that there had been domestic abuse between the parties. This issue is not properly before this court because respondent filed no notice of review with this court. Notwithstanding this procedural defect, we conclude that the district courts findings of domestic abuse have a factual basis in the records. Therefore it cannot be said that the district court clearly erred in finding that domestic abuse occurred between the parties.” 26

The district court found domestic violence! The appellate court found domestic violence! My father admitted to hitting my mother! My father admitted to breaking my mother's nose on more than one occasion. My father admitted to dislocating her shoulder in front of us children. Why does Glenn Sacks still defend this monster? Because his PAS claims go out the window in our very case!

Defending Child Sex Abusers
Glenn Sacks “I remember I had a guy I talked to before on the show who CPS came, they investigated, what I guess was his step daughter and I remember him describing this horrendously invasive examinations they do on the little girl, supposedly to tell if they have been molested. I mean, just listening to this I thought if somebody ever tried to do this to my girl I'd blow his head off.” 27

Can you believe this??? And what if Mr. & Mrs. Sacks get divorced and his little girl confides in him that his ex-wife’s new boyfriend sexually abused her? What would Sacks do then? Glenn Sacks publicly proclaims that he would kill the doctor trying to determine if his daughter was sexually abused!

So let’s get this straight: any guy can just go ahead and have sex with his step-daughter but if the child finds the courage to tell her mother then the mother is at fault for trying to protect her child and the doctor’s at fault for confirming the abuse??? So everyone’s at fault here but the child sex abuser?

What I really don’t get in all these cases is how the protective parent is interrogated, investigated and put on trial. The protective parent’s not making this up – all they’re doing is relaying what the child told them to the proper authorities – isn’t that so much better then taking the law into your own hands and blowing someone’s head off?

Attacking Protective Parents
When a child reveals to his/her mother that she has been hurt the most natural and logical step is to immediately seek medical treatment. Glenn Sacks finds fault with that as well. What would you do if your little girl (or boy) confided in you that someone hurt their ‘private parts’? Would you bring your child to the pediatrician or the emergency room if he/she reported that this physical (and psychological) trauma recently occurred? Any sane, responsible, protective parent would but NOT Mr. Glenn Sacks!

In an interview on his radio show Glenn Sacks attacks a mother for bringing her child to the emergency room when the child revealed to her mother that she was being sexually abused! What does Glenn Sacks have against mothers who are trying to protect their children from abuse?

Father’s attorney: “there were intrusive physical examinations that she took the children for and indeed the...They were taken to the emergency room by (the mother) and indeed her testimony was that one of them had been molested, but she took both of them for intrusive vaginal examinations”

Glenn Sacks: “So, in order to set up this whole con game against (the father,) she (the mother) was willing to drag her little girls, who must have been three or four at the time. To take them to the emergency room so some stranger could... I'm not even going to describe it. And that's a fit mother?”28

In an interview with Larry King the mother’s attorney made an important point “(The mother) made a good faith allegation of what she believed to be misconduct. She had a duty under New York state law to report that. If this decision stands, it will be a chilling effect on the country. Parents will not file good faith allegations of abuse.”29

Larry King: “For fear of losing their children.”

God forbid that parents stop trying to protect their children from abuse because they have learned by example that if they bring up allegations of child abuse to the family court, their children will be removed and given directly to the abuser.

Even though the mother had custody and the father lived clear across the country and had little contact with the twin girls, when one of the children revealed that she was being sexually abused by her father, the mother took her to the emergency room, the father had custody reversed, but in the end the appellate court returned the girls to the mother because they concluded that the mother was a good mother and according to the mother’s attorney: “the parental relationship with a child is a fundamental right as guaranteed by the United States Constitution.”30

This principal helped correct a wrong in this case but in general I disagree that a parent good or bad have a constitutional right to their children. This right of parents should not be placed above the right of safety for children.

Defending Child Rapists
Sacks: “According to a study conducted in New York state, 75% of child sexual abuse accusations made during custody battles were shown to be unfounded or unsubstantiated.”31 Sacks further quotes unsubstantiated studies to claim that “the vast majority of accusations of child sexual abuse made during custody battles are false, unfounded or unsubstantiated.”32

Quite often Sacks links a legitimate concern with something vague that misrepresents and/or skews the statistical results. This is a tactic batterers use all the time against their victims: they tell a story with a smidgen or hint of fact but the rest is all batter-chatter so the truth becomes lost in a sea of rhetoric. Sacks continues to misrepresent the good intentions of organizations which are trying to end domestic violence by promoting his bogus assertions that the world is against ALL MEN. Glenn Sacks contends that because some men are accused of (or even found guilty of) raping women and children AND that fathers are men then the world is accusing ALL MEN and ALL fathers of being rapists. It sounds like PROJECTION there again – Glenn!

When a 14 year-old girl came forward reporting that a 39 year-old sportsman had raped her when she was 11, Sacks said he “became interested in the case... He said he has spoken with (the suspect) and has gone over the case… He (the suspect) had moved out in June and the rapes supposedly happened between September 1 and October 1”33

OMG! This is exactly the faulty and unscientific line of reasoning that Glenn Sacks used with ME and my brother to try to “prove” his warped idea that we weren’t abused by my father! Sacks came to the conclusion that my father couldn’t have fractured my brother’s skull after I made a typo where I inadvertently documented the incident as happening 10 years later it was when I was reprinting the story. When I first came forward about the abuse I suffered as a child, I found it very difficult and emotional. Then to have this bully, Glenn Sacks attack me and say that I was not telling the truth was even more hurtful. Can you imagine how devastating this must have been for a traumatized teenage girl? She should be praised for the courage it took for her to come forward, not to be chastised in a men’s tabloid by a stranger who knows nothing of this case.

Sacks: “there is no record of the girl seeking medical attention after the alleged rapes. This is very suspicious -- Hopkins is a large adult, and it is hard to believe that a large adult male could forcibly rape an 11-year-old girl without there being substantial injury to the girl.”34

According to Glenn Sacks a child rape victim is damned whether or not they seek medical treatment. Women hater Glenn Sacks has spoken! Now let’s see what the REAL experts have to say:

- One of the most startling aspects of sex crimes is how many go unreported. The most common reasons given by women for not reporting these crimes are the belief that it is a private or personal matter and the fear of reprisal from the assailant.

- Approximately 28% of victims are raped by husbands or boyfriends, 35% by acquaintances, and 5% by other relatives.35

- The FBI estimates that only 37% of all rapes are reported to the police. U.S. Justice Department statistics are even lower, with only 26% of all rapes or attempted rapes being reported to law enforcement officials.

If grown women have difficulties coming forward when they have been raped it is understandable that an 11 year old girl would find it even more difficult! So who do you find more credible on the issue of rape? Glenn Sacks, a man who sits in his wife’s home spewing out his hatred for women or the FBI and Department of Justice?

Defending Child Abusers
Sacks tried to prove that my father couldn’t have fractured my brother’s skull because I made a typo where I inadvertently documented the incident as happening 10 years later when I was reprinting the story.

Regarding our case Sacks writes: “There are a few obvious problems with what Jennifer wrote.” Then he quotes my mistakes: “The amusement park accident was in 1996...” And “My father beat up my brother and my mother in July 1997. That is when he broke the bone in my brother’s skull!” 36

First of all I have to admit that I made a mistake in typing – the amusement park accident was in 1986 (not 1996) and my father beat up my brother and mother in 1987 (not 1997). Everyone in their right mind can see that I made a mistake, even Glenn Sacks. He leaped on this typo to try to prove that I was dishonest.

Sacks: “Jennifer's claim that "My father beat up my brother and my mother in July 1997" is not possible. It's not a typo, since the 1997 date jibes with the rest of the post--in fact, it's one of the main points of the post”37

Mr. Sacks quotes legal documentation and tries to bring attention that my mistake couldn’t have been a typo. Gee… what would make you even point that out Mr. Sacks - Projection? What is strange is how Mr. Sacks then prints what he calls the ‘main points of the post’ which clearly proves that the very amusement park ride accident (that I was referring to) occurred in 1986.

Glenn Sacks: “the legal settlement between the Park and Holly over Zachary's injury dated 10/15/90 states: ‘[O]n or about May 10, 1986, the plaintiff Holly Collins and her minor child Zachary were at the Canobie Lake amusement park...Zachary Collins was injured while riding on a 'kiddie ride' identified as the 'junior turnpikes sports car' ride.’”38

We are talking about the same incident! Glenn Sacks himself proved my case for me. Anyone in their right mind can see that I made a typo! I really came down hard on myself for making such a stupid mistake. I had all the documents right there in front of me and I somehow got stuck in the wrong decade. However THIS is a typical example to demonstrate how Glenn Sacks is manipulative, dishonest and all too eager to twist the facts to try to prove that victims are not to be trusted. It is Glenn Sacks who can not be trusted!

Minimizing Child Abuse
One of the major faults of Glenn Sacks is that he fails to acknowledge how severe the abuse to me and my brother were. He is so worried that our case clearly demonstrates the fault in PAS that he will do anything to protect his money train.

There is so much damning evidence against our father. My father broke the bones in my brother’s skull! Why would anyone defend this monster? We aren’t children anymore. We can clearly account for what happened to us when we were little. It’s absurd that children’s cries for help are ignored because an adult is supposedly more credible. Do you really expect an abuser to come out and admit that he beats his wife and kids? You can’t ignore the words of that little boy. In my brothers own writing “my dad came running up the stairs and he punched me in the wall and threw me in my bed. My head hurt a lot and when my dad fell asleep my mom came in my bed with me. She said she was sorry and she wouldn’t let him hurt me anymore. My mom took me to the hospital and the doctor said that my head was broke.”39

There are medical records from this incident.











On Parental Alienation
Glenn Sacks: “Misguided women’s advocates assert that PA is a myth used by abusive fathers to blame their ex-wives when their children are hostile to them.”41

Parental Alienation is more then a myth; it’s been officially deemed and recognized as “junk science” by every reputable scientific source that has taken a look into it. Even if Parental Alienation did exist the “father” of PAS himself, Richard Gardner, acknowledged that victims of abuse would rightfully fear their abusers and would act justifiably so. Explaining the fear a victim has towards their abuser is a no-brainer, NOT “parental alienation”!

“The complaint claims that American courts victimize abused mothers by ‘frequently awarding child custody to abusers’.”42

Once again, the truth of the matter is: “Fathers who batter the mothers of their children, are twice as likely to seek sole custody of their children”.43 “Despite the perception that mothers always win custody cases, studies show that fathers who contest custody win sole or joint custody in 40 to 70% of cases.”44

I am loosing my patience when I read Sacks garbage. “In reality, when domestic violence allegations are made, judges take them very seriously, preferring to "err on the side of caution" even when evidence is lacking. By contrast, fathers who are targets of false accusations and parental alienation can only protect their relationships with their children by financing expensive legal battles”.45

Look at my mother’s case! Judge Michael Davis found that my father was abusive but actually said to my mother “It’s about time you get over the abuse!”

Google a few of the following cases to see for yourself how attentive and responsive judges are to the issue of domestic violence!: Cassandra Hasonovic, Katie Tagle, Venetta Benjamin, Dawn Axsom, Laura Taft and Alissa Blanton.

There are too many other cases to list, but take a look at the stories of numerous women at the Battered Mothers Custody Conference:



Index
1 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=1554
2 http://www.glennsacks.com/blog/?page_id=1008
3 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=1554
4http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=1554
5 http://www.glennsacks.com/replacing_sole_custody.htm
6 http://www.glennsacks.com/replacing_sole_custody.htm
7http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=1860
8http://www.glennsacks.com/4_feminists_myths.htm
9 http://www.glennsacks.com/4_feminists_myths.htm
10 http://www.glennsacks.com/4_feminists_myths.htm
11 http://abusegate.mensnewsdaily.com/2010/02/11/more-bad-press-for-maines-predominant-aggressor-policy/
12 070609 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glenn-sacks/researcher-says-womens-in_b_222746.html
13 022509 http://www.fathersandfamilies.org/?p=1784
14 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=987
15 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=1033
16http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=3265
17 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=3265
18 File No. DA157327 court transcript 06/07/1989 pg 5
19 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=3265
20 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=3265
21 File NO. DA171721 court transcript 01/08/1991pg26
22 File NO. DA171721 court transcript 01/08/1991 pg 36
23 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=3265
24 File NO. DA171721 court transcript 01/08/1991 pg 1
25 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=3265
26 Appellate court decision Collins vs Collins 1994
27 04/03/05 http://www.glennsacks.com/enewsletters/enews_4_7_05.htm”
28 http://www.glennsacks.com/enewsletters/enews_4_7_05.htm
29 http://www.judicialaccountability.org/marksonlarryking.htm
30 http://www.judicialaccountability.org/marksonlarryking.htm
31(6/5/03). http://www.glennsacks.com/many_divorced_fathers.htm
32 http://www.glennsacks.com/ruling_in_highprofile.htm
33 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=3220
34 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=3220
35 Violence against Women, Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Justice, 1994)
36 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=4057
37 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=4057
38 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=4057
39written letter from Zachary1994
40 x-ray report Minneapolis children’s hospital 1987
41 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=821
42 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=821
43 Report of the American Psychological Association Presidential Task Forceon Violence and the Family, Violence and the Family 40 (1996).
44 Bowker, Arbitell & McFerron, “On the Relationship Between Wife Beating and Child Abuse,” in Yillo & Gofrad, eds., Feminist Perspectives on Wife Abuse 158, 162 (1998).
45 http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=821

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