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40% of domestic abuse victims are men

204 replies

PablosCat · 19/11/2019 20:43

So says South East Coast Ambulance NHS foundation trust

Can anyone fact check that?!

40% of domestic abuse victims are men
OP posts:
Clearnightsky · 20/11/2019 21:04

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras yes perhaps I should have reported that to the police. I actually asked a social worker what I should do and she said to tell them to get help. But yes, maybe I should. I don’t know her full name or anything about her but still, maybe I didn’t do my best there.

XXCoffeeHoneyBread · 20/11/2019 21:07

I am very surprised to see posters who claim to have a working knowledge of domestic abuse recovery calling for mixed sex victim support groups and services.

What a crock.

The last thing a woman who has been terrorised by a man needs in recovery is to be forced to partake in a support service that will sit her next to a man she has no knowledge of with her shredded nerves.

Victim support services and refuges should be about safety. Women set up those services themselves because they were desperately needed and it was grass roots action. Male abusers have shown repeatedly that they will go to any lengths to exert control over their victims, to hunt them down and kill them. The subterfuge around refuge location and the no men rules came about through necessity. It was and is the only way to protect fleeing women and children.

To read here that "professionals" would do away with every level of safeguarding in the name of inclusiveness sickens me. Already women have been sexually assaulted by fellow "victims" who happen to be men and have been housed in refuges. Already refuges have been hounded into closing down for refusing men access whilst they try to protect women. Men do not belong in women's safe spaces.

Charley50 · 20/11/2019 21:08

Heart - what has your anecdote about some schoolgirls having a fight got to do with domestic violence?

Hearhoovesthinkzebras · 20/11/2019 21:10

I am very surprised to see posters who claim to have a working knowledge of domestic abuse recovery calling for mixed sex victim support groups and services.

Has anyone said that? I saw one poster who said that the organisation will work with men, women and children - I didn't take that to mean altogether in one group though, but on an individual basis.

Hearhoovesthinkzebras · 20/11/2019 21:14

Charley50

It was following on from the discussion that it's up to men to solve male violence. There's also been discussion on other threads around men stepping in to confront individual men who are sexist, or offensive or don't step up at home.

I was wondering if that's the case why it isn't up to women to solve female violence.

Lourake · 20/11/2019 21:15

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Lourake · 20/11/2019 21:15

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Singletomingle · 20/11/2019 21:22

I in no way meant mixed sex groups merely that everyone is treated equally and fairly. I have no problem with a support group being single sex but I dont believe that it is impossible for 2 opposite sex groups to find ways to support and help each other.

Deadringer · 20/11/2019 21:31

Quentinwinters thank you for that information it is very interesting. People keep saying that men are often victims of dv but don't report it, but many, many women are victims and don't report it either, so what does that prove? If the vast majority of people who are killed or injured (to the point of needing medical help) are female at the hands of their male partner then surely the evidence is that male violence is almost always the issue?

XXCoffeeHoneyBread · 20/11/2019 21:35

I dont believe that it is impossible for 2 opposite sex groups to find ways to support and help each other.

I disagree.

Also there have been mentions of suicide on this thread, complete with implied blame. This is a link to the cold hard facts about abusers ...

lundybancroft.com/articles/assessing-dangerousness-in-men-who-abuse-women/

Danger assessment for men who abuse women is still far from being an exact science, however. There are documented killings by men whose previous profile did not make them appear to have the potential for such severe or cruel violence. Therefore all abused women should be encouraged to work with a trained advocate on creating a safety plan. Women should also be encouraged to take seriously intuitions that they have about the dangerousness of a partner or former partner, even if he does not exhibit a large number of the risk factors listed below.

Factors that should be taken particularly seriously include:

The woman has a strong “gut” sense that the man could kill her or her children, or could carry out a serious and dangerous assault against any of them or against himself.
He is extremely jealous and possessive. This characteristic becomes even more worrisome when he appears to be obsessive, constantly keeping her at the center of his thoughts and appearing to be unable to conceive of life without her. He has, for example, made statements such as, “If I can’t have you, nobody will.”
He has a history of severe or very frequent violence toward her, or toward other individuals such as past partners.
He follows her, monitors her whereabouts, uses high-tech means to keep tabs on her, or stalks her in other ways. He knows where she lives and works, knows names and addresses of her friend or relatives, or is in very familiar with her daily routines.
She is taking steps to end the relationship, or has already done so.
He was violent to her during a pregnancy.
There are stepchildren involved.
He has threatened to kill her or to hurt her severely, has strangled her, or has threatened her with a weapon (including making verbal reference to using a weapon, even if he did not actually brandish it)
He has threatened to kill the children or the whole family.
He has access to weapons and/or he is familiar with their use.
<strong>He is depressed, suicidal, or shows signs of not caring what happens to him. He has, for example, threatened to kill himself if she leaves him.</strong>
He is unemployed.
He isn’t close to anyone, and no current relationships with friends or relatives are important to him.
He has a significant criminal history and/or he has a history of using violence or threatening violence against other people.
He abuses alcohol or drugs heavily, especially if his habits involve daily or nearly daily intoxication.
He has been violent to children.
He has killed or in other ways been violent to pets, or has used other terror tactics.
He uses pornography heavily and/or has a history or perpetrating sexual violence or degradation against his partner or others.
He has exhibited extreme behaviors when his current partner or past partners have made attempts to leave him.

The current state of knowledge does not make it possible to create a formula from the above factors to create low, moderate, and high-risk categories of risk. A particularly extreme presentation in even one of the above categories can be a basis for serious concern. Professionals, abused women, and others attempting to use this list of factors, need to apply their findings with common sense and intuition. When an abusive man appears particularly dangerous based on the above factors or for other reasons, professionals involved with him should inform the abused woman as soon as possible (more on this below). They should also inform appropriate police departments, any mental health or child protection professionals involved with the man, and anyone else who might be in a position to prevent a dangerous assault from taking place. Abuser programs and other professionals working directly with them an should inform him that they are concerned that he may commit a serious or lethal assault, and should try to persuade him to commit himself to a psychiatric hospital, substance abuse detox, or other facility that could contain him and persuade him not to become violent.

Clearnightsky · 20/11/2019 21:44

@XXCoffee that is a profoundly important post.

We should all read it and take a moment.

@Deadringer agree totally.

FenellaVelour · 20/11/2019 21:48

Mixed sex groups, aside from being a massive barrier to honest and open support, could be potentially a hunting ground for abusers looking for their next vulnerable victim. Just entirely inappropriate.

MushroomTree · 20/11/2019 22:04

@XXCoffeeHoneyBread I believe that comment about "professionals" was aimed at me.

At no point have I said my organisation offers mixed sex support groups. We offer groups exclusively for women, exclusively for men, and exclusively for children. We also work with all victims on a one to one basis where group work isn't appropriate.

Of course it would be entirely inappropriate to have mixed sex recovery groups.

Our refuges are also women only spaces and we would never permit a man to live in one. We don't offer refuge places for men, we would signpost to an organisation that does in the event that a man we were supported needed a place.

RyVeeta · 20/11/2019 22:07

Read that and was sick. But yes, some of it fitted and yet he still tried to claim it was me. Fortunately it had been witnessed by many for years. With the help of this place and WA I have been free for a while.

tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 20/11/2019 22:16

Single thanks for clarifying and yes I do agree that everyone regardless of sex is deserving of support and compassion absolutely. I imagine you hear some awful accounts of abuse.

Hear what I was trying to say was more men need to call each other's behaviour and actions. Some examples are -

Telling their friends touching a girl up in a bar or club isn't cool

Telling their friends leering at or cat calling a girl whose obviously at school (because she's in a school uniform) isn't acceptable

Telling their friends to grow up when they make sexually suggestive comments to a lone woman on the tube

Of course this is way down on the scale of harmful behaviour but the frequency adds up to tell men that it's just "banter " and women that it's "just how men are, ignore them!"'

These are such small steps. It's easy to do, I'm not suggesting male vigilante groups.

And in the case you described maybe a male staff member was asked to handle because it's likely he would be stronger than the girl in question? I don't know how I would have handled it as I don't think it's a mans job but that of the police. No one here has said it's for men to handle female violence.

tellmewhenthespaceshiplandscoz · 20/11/2019 22:19

PS I'm bc sorry if my words of those actions sounded dismissive that wasn't my intention. I was anticipating posters thinking it wasn't a proper comparison so wanted to make the distinction IYSWIM.

QuentinWinters · 20/11/2019 22:30

I was wondering if that's the case why it isn't up to women to solve female violence.
What is "female violence" in this context?

I am a bit confused. Men are violent in a way that is documented and predictable. There is also evidence of systematic issues that enable violent men to get away with their behaviour (e.g. the "consensual sex gone wrong" defence. Or the "reasonable belief in consent" clause in rape)
I can't see any evidence of those kind of systematic issues in violence committed by women. So what exactly do you mean?

PixieDustt · 20/11/2019 22:41

There are more men then we think who get abused but unfortunately most are too ashamed to come forward about it.

Hearhoovesthinkzebras · 20/11/2019 22:45

What is "female violence" in this context?

One girl.threatening to attack another girl.

Hearhoovesthinkzebras · 20/11/2019 22:48

Watching C4 now and they are discussing a DV case involving a f on m. She was accused of co ercive and abusive control during the relationship. When he finally left her she threw acid over him.

MushroomTree · 20/11/2019 22:52

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras what's the programme called?

Hearhoovesthinkzebras · 20/11/2019 22:55

Shocking emergency calls.

You might need to watch it on 4 plus 1 because they are doing a different story after each break. They've just gone to a break now, not sure if they'll continue with his story after but.

dontalltalkatonce · 20/11/2019 22:55

Watching, too. Mark Van Dongen.

Hearhoovesthinkzebras · 20/11/2019 22:57

They haven't covered her trial.or sentencing yet so you might catch the very end. He was very badly injured - paralysed and had a partial amputation as a result of the burns. Sounds terrible.

MushroomTree · 20/11/2019 23:01

Thanks @Hearhoovesthinkzebras I'll try and catch up on All4 tomorrow.

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