Abuse against men, whether emotional, physical, sexual or psychological, remains a largely under-discussed issue.
While public awareness of domestic and interpersonal violence has grown male victims often remain invisible due to stigma, cultural expectations and a lack of institutional support.
Janine Passenz from the Survivors Haven said there are cultural and societal factors that serve as barriers to men actively seeking help and also lead to widespread silence, rendering the phenomenon of abuse of men invisible. She said abuse can take many forms, and men experience them across all types of relationships intimate, familial, workplace and social. Physical, emotional, d psychological, sexual, financial and social abuse are common.
Passenz said cultural expectations of masculinity – “men should be strong,” “men can’t be victims” or “real men don’t complain” – suppress disclosure. Many men fear not being taken seriously, she added. Male victims often internalise blame or feel embarrassed, believing their experience contradicts traditional notions of masculinity.
Men worry that authorities, friends or family will doubt their claims, especially in cases of female-on-male abuse. Because men seek help less often due to stigma their symptoms may worsen over time and increase suicide risk.
Media portrayals often depict male suffering as comedic or insignificant, and jokes about male victimisation trivialise and reinforce the idea that male abuse is rare or unimportant, Passenz added. Our challenge is public campaigns against violence frequently focus exclusively on women, which while essential can unintentionally erase male experiences.
The need to break the silence
Passenz said expanding awareness education, schools, workplaces and communities should include male victimisation in discussions on abuse and healthy relationships. Men should be encouraged to seek help, support systems need to be improved, more shelters must be opened, counselling programme and adapthotlines should be adapted to serve all genders, she added.
Shifting societal expectations of masculinity can reduce stigma and make it easier for men to speak up. Abuse against men is a serious, but frequently overlooked issue. The silence surrounding male victims is not due to lack of suffering but to deeply-ingrained cultural fallacies and institutional gaps.
Recognising abuse can occur to anyone and that all victims deserve support creates a safer, more compassionate society.
