One thing that major retailing giants and politicians have common is a concern with their image in the hearts and minds of customers and voters. They are concerned with the percentage of the population which views them positively as well as negatively. In my view, and in today’s highly uncertain economic environment, I believe that Macy’s has made a major mistake by aligning itself with the radical feminist Family Violence Prevention Fund and their new ultra high-tech campaign titled RESPECT.

To fully comprehend the impact of this campaign on men and the women who love them, one must go to the Press Release issued jointly by Macy’s and the Family Violence Prevention Fund and listen more than once to the powerfully negative audio which accompanies the text.

Most readers already will have an image of Macy’s. Here is the image Macy’s new partner self-promotes: “For more than two decades, the Family Violence Prevention Fund has been one of the world's leading organizations working to prevent violence against women and children (bold added). Instrumental in developing the landmark Violence Against Women Act (bold added) passed by Congress in 1994, the FVPF has continued to break new ground by reaching new audiences including men and youth, promoting leadership within communities to ensure that violence prevention efforts become self-sustaining, and transforming the way health care providers, police, judges, employers and others address violence. For more information, click here."

In the same Press Release, Terry J. Lundgren, chairman, president and CEO of Macy’s, Inc. writes: “…As part of its continued work to end violence against women and children (bold added) Macy's will support the campaign…”

The problem, of course, is that Macy’s has left out the other half of the adult population harmed by domestic violence -- men. Personally, I find it tragic that a major retailing giant would knowingly support and propagate such propaganda. Macy’s cannot claim ignorance given that the empirical research reality is well known, well documented, and readily available. Briefly -- and contrary to the RESPECT falsifications -- sound empirical research reveals that both females and males initiate domestic violence at about equal rates and with the most recent studies suggesting an escalating rate of violence initiation by girls and women. Further, at least 38% of the physically harmed victims of domestic violence are men. Finally, data from the Department of Health and Human Services indicate that for most forms of abuse, children are much more likely to be harmed or killed by their mothers than by their fathers. For more information click here.

If Macy’s wants to maintain a positive image, it cannot afford to support harmful campaigns that damage and degrade men. The same holds for politicians (see “Obama/Biden: Escalating the War on Fathers and Families” on various Google websites).

In my view, facing and accepting the empirical research reality on domestic violence is in the best interests of children, women, men, candidates, and corporations. Let’s get on with it.

Gordon E. Finley, Ph.D. is Professor of Psychology at Florida International University in Miami .