Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Why Does Domestic Abuse Against Men Go Unrecognized?


Domestic violence against men goes unrecognized for the following reasons:

  • The incidence of domestic violence against men appears to be so low that it is hard to get reliable estimates.
  • It has taken years of advocacy and support to encourage women to report domestic violence. Virtually nothing has been done to encourage men to report abuse.
  • The idea that men could be victims of domestic abuse and violence is so unthinkable to most people that many men will not even attempt to report the situation.
  • The counseling and psychological community have responded to domestic abuse and violence against women. Not enough has been done to stop abuse against women. There has been very little investment in resources to address the issues of domestic abuse and violence against men.
  • In most cases, the actual physical damage inflicted by men is so much greater than the actual physical harm inflected by women. The impact of domestic violence is less apparent and less likely to come to the attention of others.
  • Even when men do report domestic abuse and violence, most people are so astonished, men usually end up feeling like nobody would believe them. It is widely assumed than a man with a bruise or black eye was in a fight with another man or was injured on the job or while playing contact sports. Women generally don't do those things.
Posted from: http://www.oregoncounseling.org/Handouts/DomesticViolenceMen.htm

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