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Men and Boys can also be Victims of Domestic Abuse
In our previous newsletter, we talked about Domestic Violence and Abuse and the support options available for women and girls. You can view this newsletter here which explains the government definitions of Domestic Abuse and Coercive and Controlling Behaviours. These definitions apply to anyone, regardless of gender.
We also explained why Domestic Abuse is considered a matter of Violence Against Women and Girls. The fact is, women and girls are disproportionately more affected by Domestic Violence and Abuse and men are disproportionately more often the perpetrators of the abuse.
However, we do acknowledge that men and boys can also be victims of Domestic Abuse and Violence and that they too can face particular barriers to disclosing abuse and to accessing support. Any man can be affected, regardless of their background, age, job, ethnicity, or sexuality. Domestic Abuse and Violence can be perpetrated by any household or family member, not just a partner- and the abuse is not just physical, it can be emotional, psychological, and financial.
Many of the barriers men face to recognising and disclosing their abuse (such as shame, fear, and embarrassment) are rooted in ideas of toxic masculinity:
- Many men believe (or fear that others believe) that experiencing domestic abuse makes them appear weak and is emasculating
- Some men may mistakenly believe that domestic violence is an issue that only affects women, so they do not think they are victims or that they can get support
- These beliefs might also be held by other individuals and support agencies and can make it difficult for male survivors to get the support and dignity that they deserve
- Some men also believe that domestic abuse is only physical or that it has to come from a partner so they do not recognise that they might be experiencing domestic abuse.
- The UK Government has developed a helpful webpage for recognising the signs of different types of Domestic Abuse which can be found here
It is important that we are aware of these barriers and that we work to challenge them in our communities.
Below are a list of resources and support services available for male survivors and practitioners supporting them.
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