Unfortunately, anyone can become a victim of domestic abuse, including men. When men are the victims in these unhealthy relationships, the overall environment of the relationship and dynamic usually consists of different patterns.
For the most part, men feel as if they don’t have any resources, with many not knowing who to turn to or how. Men also mainly feel ashamed for being victimized by their female partner and can have their masculinity questioned by those around them.
Here are some more ways abused men experience different barriers for seeking help than women:
Domestic violence against men seem to take a different form, involving more acts such as stalking, forced pregnancies, psychological aggression and emotional manipulation than physical abuse.
Almost half (48.8%) of all men have dealt with some sort of psychological aggression by an intimate partner.
Men often refrain from reporting their abuse (with some countries showcasing no data at all) due to social stigma and demasculinization.
Many men believe that domestic violence is only taken seriously if the perpetrator was a man, contributing to underreporting.
Peers reiterating the phrases “man up,” and “be a man” when a male domestic abuse survivor confides in them, further deepening the feeling of their manhood being jeopardized.
Male victims of domestic abuse are often ignored by authority or see their attacker go free.
With virtually no recourse altogether, men feel powerless and often suffer in silence.
Altogether, men may feel under pressure to keep up the pretense that everything is ok and may decide to not report violence by an intimate partner with the fear of being labeled as the instigator or not believed, but no instance of domestic violence is justified or should be overlooked. Whether you’re male or female, feel free to contact me to take your first steps in help and support or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799 – 7233.