Hi Z - I didn't intend to put a bee in any body's bonnet with my "crisis center" comment on the other thread. I agree with your observation that these things should be gender neutral.<p>I was reacting, I guess, to what sounded like a knee jerk reaction to support issuing a restraining order solely on unsubstantiated claims. I would like to believe there are SOME checks and balances prior to taking such a drastic step.<p>Dave

WAT,<p>I can understand your reaction in this case. If you read my other responses you can see that I was miffed too. ‘Crying wolf’ never helps anyone. I too can hardly believe that some crisis center encouraged her to get a restraining order with out any proof. Actually, the way I know these centers work, I think that they told her that based on what she was saying a restraining order was a good idea. It was probably even a conversation over the phone. Usually crisis centers do not have anything to do with filing court orders. They function more like counselors. I believe that she then made her own independent decision to file the order. Now that she realizes what she did, she needs someone to blame it on. Am I making any sense? Sometimes it is unfortunate that anyone can file anything they want to in our legal system. Then the accused can prove their innocence (Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around?)???<p>Unfortunately, when a restraining order is unfairly filed, the checks and balances come after the fact. And it costs the unfairly accused a sizable chunk to prove their innocence. <p>You know that I have an issue with abuse in families. Guess I was having a knee jerk moment of my own that lead to a ‘soap box moment’. I just want both men and women to know that they do not have to put up with the abuse and that there is support out there if they seek it.<p>Lets get all the crisis centers to change their names to “Family Crisis Center” or “Family Abuse Hotline”, etc.