Partner Violence

When someone mentions intimate partner violence, people often just assume it is males committing violence against women but that is not always the case. Often, and I have seem up to 50%, it is women committing violence against men. Yet almost all social services are designed to help women not men. 

Men are less likely than women to seek help after experiencing intimate partner violence, and new research from George Mason University found that the main barriers include viewing it as a private matter, fear of retaliation, shame, and concerns about not being believed.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 44% of men report being victims of IPV, but many of these men are not receiving support, highlighting the significance of understanding barriers to seeking help.

• Across all racial and ethnic categories, viewing abuse as a private matter was the most common barrier to seeking help.
• Latino men were significantly more likely to express concerns about shame or embarrassment being a barrier.
• Black men were less likely to report concerns about not being believed.
• White men were more likely to report difficulty in labeling their experiences as abuse.