Liberal myths

Laban Tall is on the money again with a cutting critique of the myth of increasing domestic violence during the World Cup and, indeed, high-profile sporting events. Particularly intriguing was the definition of domestic violence adopted by one of the questionable studies purporting to lead to such results. "Verbal abuse" is domestic violence. The report doesn't say to whom it must be directed, but perhaps I was guilty of something approaching it owing to the verbal abuse I was launching at the television during England's opening game: most notably when Gerrard was booked!