HARRISBURG — The House on Wednesday approved a resolution recognizing October as "Domestic Violence Awareness" month, a measure that Rep. Daryl Metcalfe of Cranberry blocked two weeks ago, claiming it was part of a homosexual agenda because it included men among rape victims.
Metcalfe was the lone vote against it yesterday, saying he has received "lewd, vile and vulgar" e-mails and letters opposing his position. As a Christian, Metcalfe told colleagues, he still believes homosexuality is a "sinful lifestyle."
One of his critics, according to Metcalfe, said he was "hoping I will meet my creator very soon." Metcalfe said later that he didn't take it as a death threat. "It was more like a hopeful verbalization of their anger," he said.
The controversy erupted two weeks ago when Metcalfe spoke out against the resolution. Leaders then put the resolution on hold until yesterday.
The resolution states that "one in four women and one in every nine men will experience domestic violence." It also says "one in six women and one in 33 men have experienced an attempted or completed rape."
Metcalfe doesn't dispute that some men are victims of domestic violence, but he challenged the statistics in the resolution.
The language shifts the focus away from abused women and female rape victims, Metcalfe said.
"It does a great disservice to women," Metcalfe said.
Metcalfe asked colleagues when was the last time they read about a man fleeing with his kids, in the middle of the night, in fear for his life.
Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Philadelphia, said she believes one of the reasons people don't read much about it is that men who are victims of domestic violence or rape "are ashamed to go for help."
"The gentleman from Butler has made this problem even worse and more men may be abused, even killed in their homes," Josephs said.
Rep. John Siproth, D-Monroe County, the resolution's sponsor, has said neither he nor domestic violence groups have a homosexual agenda.
