louis martin
cns news & features
Ukiah, California--
When it comes to domestic violence and abuse, the guys still lead the way. But if last night's case of Leonard versus Menacho is any indication, the women are beginning to close the gap a little.
At 10:15 PM on Thursday, Glenda Leonard, 32 of Ukiah, asked her boy friend of six weeks, Richard Menacho, 46, of Ukiah, to drive her to the 7-11 Club. Menacho, according to the police report, complied and returned home.
At 11:15 PM Leonard called Menacho to come and pick her up, which he did. According to Menacho she was intoxicated when he picked her up. She asked him to drive her back to his place.
That is where the trouble began--at least as far as the penal code is concerned. Back at Menacho's place, she allegedly asked him for more money for liquor. When he refused, she became angry and acted like a lot of guys act when their booze is cut off.
Or maybe worse. She threatened to kill Menacho and burn his house down.
Most of the dialog was recorded by Menacho, who told Leonard that he was recording their conversation.
Leonard did not kill Menacho or burn his house down, but sometime later on she used a large rock to smash out the windows of Menacho's 88 Dodge pickup truck. She then attempted to attack Menacho, who held her on the ground until Sheriff's deputies arrived at 12:30 AM Friday. The deputies reported that she was verbally abusive to them as well.
This is of course the reversal of the usual pattern of domestic violence. In most cases it is the guy who goes out drinking, comes home, and smacks his wife or domestic partner.
But according to some, the reverse pattern is becoming more common.
Said Elizabeth Ryan, a crisis counselor at Project Sanctuary in Fort Bragg, "Women are frustrated. They are beginning to fight back."
But Martha Rodriguez of Project Sanctuary in Ukiah said, "It's really, really rare. Sometimes they (the guys) make it up."
She said that 1 guy about every 2 months comes into Project Sanctuary in Ukiah for help.
(11/3/95)
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