One in three victims of family violence is male

While many services have quite rightly been established over the past three decades to support female victims of family violence, the needs of male victims remain largely unmet. Acknowledging this imbalance, the Western Australian Men’s Advisory Network (MAN) recently commissioned ground-breaking research by Edith Cowan University (ECU) into the nature and extent of domestic abuse against men.

Executive officer Gary Bryant stresses that MAN recognises that the majority of family and domestic violence is against women and that it is not seeking to divert funding from support for female abuse victims. “The aim of this study is to help paint a clear picture of what constitutes abuse, what might prevent men from reporting it and what is needed to support male victims.” The ECU study will be released in the first half of 2010.

Greg Millan, director of Men’s Health Services in Newcastle, was recently contacted by a domestic violence agency worker who had decided that it was time to start providing support for men as well as women. She had witnessed growing numbers of male victims appearing in court without any services to assist them. Greg subsequently developed and successfully runs a training program called Working with Men affected by Violence, for workers in the domestic violence and family relationship sector.

On the international front, more than 15 years ago the Valley Oasis shelter in Lancaster, California, became the first in the USA to give refuge to victims regardless of their gender. “Our philosophy is that domestic violence is a societal problem,” said Carol Ensign, the shelter's executive director. “Nobody deserves to get hit, whether they are 2 months old or 80 years old, whether they are a man or woman, child or teen. Nobody deserves violence in their lives.”

A groundbreaking Dutch scheme involving a one year trial, supported by $A1.6 million in government funding, has recently established shelters for abused men in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. In Ireland, Mary Cleary founded Amen in December 1997, a voluntary group providing a confidential helpline, support service and information for male victims of domestic abuse. In the UK, the Next Steps Housing Association has recently created 100 places in 35 refuge houses across Northamptonshire for husbands and partners of abusive women. The Men's Advice Line - a confidential helpline for all men experiencing domestic violence by a current or ex-partner - has also been established in the UK. In Wales, the Dyn Wales helpline has been set up to give support to male victims across the country.

Regrettably, Australian government policies have been based on the assumption that almost all perpetrators are male and almost all victims are female. As such, there is little support available for abused men in this country. Now is the time for action by politicians and community leaders to recognise that a comprehensive approach is required to combat the scourge of family violence. The One in Three Campaign is doing its bit to help. Its website can be found at oneinthree.com.au.