Sir, - Your Wednesday issue (June 26th) carried two articles on men who use violence, one by John Waters, the other by Michael O'Sullivan. As a man who works on a treatment programme for men who are violent towards their partners I have learned much about how men use violence to gain power and control. So I believe the more fundamental question which John Waters needs to ask is, do the men of violence want peace or do they want power and control? In Michael O'Sullivan's article he concludes that the Catholic Church may have to look more closely at itself and here, again, I would suggest that the conflict is between peace (people living in harmony) and power and control.
Finally may I say that peace is not a process peace is a decision. Men who use violence must decide that they no longer have the right to violate another person. Yours, etc., Co-ordinator, Domestic Violence Project, Paul Street, Cork.