The Orange County Register’s policy against talking about domestic violence often turns its reports into comedies of fantasy.

Such was the case when they failed to report the facts of a press conference that took place September 9, 2010 in front of the Public Guardian’s office.

The press conference was about how a domestic abuser had gotten revenge on his victim by holding her mother prisoner and dehydrating and starving the lady. The victim rescued her mother. Then the Public Guardian saw some assets he wanted and he went after them like a starving vulture goes after food.

The victim’s minor daughter got a recording of her father trying to kill her mother. It would have been interesting to hear more about the girl.

Now, there are five individuals: the victim, the abuser, the girl, the older mother and the Public Guardian. Since the Register is trying to pretend domestic violence doesn’t exist, they have to exclude the abuser from the story. So now we have the victim, the girl, the older mother and the Public Guardian. The girl’s role was as a witness of domestic violence. So she’s out too. That leaves the victim, the victim’s mother and the Public Guardian.

Without the abuser, it makes it hard to tell who starved and dehydrated the older mother. Was it the Public Guardian or the victim? The phrasing of the article seems to target the victim.

So, because of the Register’s policy against talking about domestic violence, the victim is abused first by her husband, next by the Public Guardian and then by the Register.

Way to go, Register!