Men Are Victims of Domestic Violence, Too

Reader Comments
Back to blog

Adam's post and many of the comments provide copious evidence that domestic abuse, indeed serious domestic abuse, is often committed by women to men, yet the media portrays it as almost exclusively men as the perpetrator. Why?

Marty Nemko of 2:58AM July 23, 2008

835,000 men huh? Pretty puny figure when you compare it to the +2 million women each year. Pffft! It's 85% of women who end up on the mortuary slabs.

shivers 1:54AM July 22, 2008

Please tell this to intelligent and superior law makers of a biggest democracy called india.
Indian domestic voilance act 2005 do not recognize voilance from women to a men and voilance from women to women. It says that a women can only launch a complain of domestic voilance againt male members of family.
These intelligent law makers in india even do not recognize the voilance faced by boys.
India is a land of intelligent law makers where one line complain by a women can send other women of family to jail that too without investigation u/s 498a IPC.
Please learn from India and screw welfare of good men and women in your country also.
Ram Balak

Ram Balak 12:20AM July 22, 2008

Men or women, both have been exposed to domestic violence and abused. However, not much attention is paid to protect men victims. After several studies niether society nor judiciary and Govt is ready to accept this fact. Hence there is no help available to such men. Not only this, they are framed in a false domestic violence/child abuse cases and are subjeted to continuous harassment.

Dinesh of TX 5:43PM July 21, 2008

Till today and also in near future society women are considered to be a weaker sex, of which many women are misusing the law against there spouse. Purposely hurting herself or calling anxiety/stress attack and calling 911 to get the men into trouble, preparing evidence which them easier to put all the blame on the men, and men would unknowing getting into the trap. When all the thing comes down to table, men is to be blamed 99.9% jury – is always with women. Truly women manipulate men mentally, emotionally and physically. Women is protecting women, men is protecting women, who is protect men?

John of CA 5:04PM July 21, 2008

I currently work with women who have been abused but would like to deliver a focus group which is of use to men who have also been abused. Please help with any information and sources which may be useful to me.
lets work together to tackle this problem.
With Thanks
Terri

terri chapman of 2:55PM July 21, 2008

I just really appreciate the acknowledgment of men as victims of domestic violence without blowing it out of proportion and without making sweeping false generalizations or using ridiculous anecdotes, as those who are a little "rough around the edges" can do w/this important topic.

DV SA of MD 10:38AM July 21, 2008

What's reported is probably 1% of what actually happens. Let's not forget that women often use others to do their dirty work, many time getting an acquaintance or even strangers to respond to a woman in "distress" when no such situtation exists or using merely a hint of an offer at a relationship to get an arduous male to commit violence. Finally, let's not forget the unknown number of poisoning cases or household "accidents" that slip through the cracks. Men do the majority of the dangerous work around the home and ladder and electrical deaths, to mention two, are extremely easy to cause.

Anthony L. Sprout of OH 12:25PM July 20, 2008

And then when the man finally fights back, she falsely charges him with rape, and our politically correct legal system backs her up.

of CA 10:27AM July 20, 2008

I have worked in the field of domestic violence for over 20 years. Men certainly can be victims. I know one man who was definitely a victim and was cut badly by his abusive female partner. But as the author stated, the vast majority of domestic violence victims are women.
When men are cut by women,it is typically because a female abuse victim has grabbed a knife to defend herself against an attack. Knives are easy accessible and many attacks occur in the kitchen. Male domestic violence abusers are often cut or killed this way. This does not mean they are "domestic violence victims", of course. They are perpetrators who have been injured when the victim defends herself. Just reading statistics will not give you this information, of course.

Domestic Violence Expert of NC 8:40AM July 19, 2008