October 1 is the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. But don't be fooled -- this feminist-driven campaign is not about stopping partner violence, or even helping women in abusive relationships.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month is an excuse for radical feminists to perpetrate their myths that domestic violence has reached epidemic proportions in this country, that men are always the brutal perpetrators, and women the inevitable victims.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month was spawned by the federal Violence Against Women Act, the $3.3 billion taxpayer boondoggle that proves the truth of the Führer's famous statement that the masses "more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie."

The truth about domestic violence has been reported in well over 100 scientific articles. The findings from this research were summarized in an article by John Archer in Psychological Bulletin in 2000: "Women were slightly more likely than men to use one or more act of physical aggression and to use such acts more frequently."

And an analysis of FBI data on spousal murders, published in the May 1989 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, found that 43% of the time, it was husbands who were the victims.

If the Violence Against Women Act was about helping women in abusive relationships, it would be offering massive anger management and rehabilitation services for all the women who have kicked, scratched, punched, thrown knives, or otherwise maimed their partners.

But radical feminists push their one-sided version of domestic violence because they know it is a potent wedge issue that exploits the psychological vulnerabilities of both women and men.

For women, the domestic violence issue exploits their feelings of fear and anger.

And chivalrous men become burdened by feelings of guilt and shame when they hear stories of husbands who beat up their wives.

Take equal measures of fear, anger, guilt, and shame. Shake vigorously. You now have the recipe for mass hysteria.

So how are we going to stop the cycle of feminists who silence men, which allows the lies to fester and grow, and permits more VAWA-type legislation to be passed?

The answer: men must stop being intimidated by abusive women. Here's an example of what I mean.

During last week's California debate among the candidates for governor, the discussion began to heat up. At one point, Arnold Schwarzenegger interrupted Arianna Huffington.

Huffington then trotted out one of those lines that is intended to silence their male opponents: "This is the way you treat women, we know that."

But Schwarzenegger had just the right response, "I would just like to say that I just realized I have a perfect part for you in Terminator 4." Of course, he was referring to the female terminator character in Terminator 3 whose face was shoved into a toilet by Schwarzenegger's character.

Now there's a man who refuses to be bullied.

So what can persons do to stop the domestic violence lies?

First, familiarize yourself with the research. Martin Fiebert, a psychologist at California State University, has put together a summary of DV articles, which can be accessed at www.vix.com/menmag/fiebert.htm.

Second, if you have been assaulted by your wife or girlfriend, take action. The Equal Justice Foundation has developed a number of strategies (www.ejfi.org/DV/dv-6.htm#pgfId-1338763).

Third, speak out. If you read an unfair article in your local newspaper, call the reporter or editor.

Because Domestic Violence Awareness Month is an assault on the truth that ends up battering the good name and reputation of men.

Carey Roberts