Men can be victims of domestic abuse too
In a recent ‘For Men To Talk – Biggleswade’ peer support meeting, we welcomed Talk:4M, who provided us with a presentation on the support that they offer.
Talk:4M offers tailored support for male victims of domestic abuse. The service is delivered across Bedfordshire and offers group based support programmes, linking in with other agencies and professional where needed.
It aims to empower men to cope and recover from domestic abuse and to feel they have a sense of belonging and support in their community.
Men can be victims of domestic abuse too. Domestic violence does not discriminate based on gender and it’s important to recognise that anyone, regardless of their sex, can experience physical, emotional, or psychological abuse within a relationship. Breaking down stereotypes and providing support for male victims is essential in addressing this issue and ensuring that all individuals have access to the help and resources they need to escape abusive situations and heal.
In the year ending March 2022, the police recorded 1,500,369 domestic abuse-related incidents and crimes in England and Wales.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimated 2.4 million adults aged 16 years and over experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2022 (1.7 million women and 699,000 men. 29% of all cases are men as the victim). This equates to a prevalence rate of approximately 5.0% of adults (6.9% women and 3.0% men).
Domestic abuse is not limited to physical violence and can include a range of abusive behaviours. It can also be experienced as repeated patterns of abusive behaviour to maintain power and control in a relationship.
The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 defines domestic abuse as any incident or pattern of incidents between those aged 16 years and over who:
- are a partner
- are an ex-partner
- are a relative
- have, or there has been a time when they each have had, a parental relationship in relation to the same child
The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 outlines the following behaviours as abuse:
- physical or sexual abuse
- violent or threatening behaviour
- controlling or coercive behaviour
- economic abuse
- psychological, emotional, or other abuse
The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 recognises children under the age of 18 years who see, or hear, or experience the effects of the abuse, as a victim of domestic abuse if they are related or have a parental relationship to the adult victim or perpetrator of the abuse.
Talk:4M are available on 0300 323 0245 or via email Horizons@ecpbedford.org. Their website is
https://oneymca.org/what-we-do/support-advice/therapeutic-specialist-services/our-talk4m-service/