Male Victims of Domestic Violence

Source: (2007) In John Hamel and Tonia L. Nicholls, Ed., Family Interventions in Domestic Violence. New York, USA: Springer Publishing Company. Pp. 303-318.

“Until there are active and public outreach programs and services for male victims in the community, it is doubtful that males will come forward. Women did not come forward for help in the numbers we see today until we implemented active outreach programs and services for them. The domestic violence movement must be fully inclusive of all victims and perpetrators of violence and abuse. As stated earlier, whether it is dad or mom who assaults the other, the child who witnesses the abuse learns that violence is an acceptable way to resolve conflict between people. This is not the lesson we want children to learn. In the 1970s many in the women’s movement invited men to be more open in sharing their emotions and feelings. Now that men are starting to share their feelings and may even share the abuse they have received from their female partners, is anyone really listening, and do they have the will to help them — not by accident but by focus?” (excerpt)