KEY STATISTICS
(Services for male victims are 35 years behind those for female victims)

DEFINITION OF DOMESTIC ABUSE (HOME OFFICE):

MALE VICTIMS

(1) One in six men will be a victim of domestic abuse in their lifetime.

One in four women will be a victim of domestic abuse in their lifetime.

This is a ratio of 40% men : 60% women. 

Walby, S. and Allen, J. (2004) Domestic Violence, sexual assault and stalking : Findings from the British Crime Survey. Home Office Research Study No. 276. London : Home Office

(2) Currently two in every five (43%) domestic abuse victims are men.

The British Crime Survey (2006/07) figures:

The ratio (4.3% : 5.6%) shows 43% men : 57% women

(3) In the last year, nearly as many men as women were victims of severe
     force in a relationship.

The figures in (2) above show 1.7% men : 1.8% women

(4) One in every four incidents of domestic abuse is against a man.

Thousands

Crime in England and Wales, 2006/07, Nicholas, at al. Home Office Statistical Bulletin 11/07, July 2007

(5) 46% of victims who have been abused six or more times in their
      relationship are men.

(6) One man (28) every fortnight is killed by their partner.

For women it was 83 in the same year (2007)

REFUGES / SUPPORT

(1) There are eight refuges in the UK that offer dedicated space to men.

There are c500 in the UK that offer dedicated space to women

(Source Men : The ManKind Initiative  Women : Women’s Aid/Refuge)

(2) There are four small charities/organisations providing help-line and
      information support for male victims and six organisations providing
      refuge support.

For women, there are two major charities – Refuge and Women’s Aid (receiving millions of pounds in state funding) and nearly 400 specialist domestic violence organisations providing refuge accommodation for women in the UK.

(3) Male victims are routinely ignored by statutory authorities

A survey of 140 victims who called the ManKind Initiative help-line in 2006 showed that:-

(i)  Police – 82 (59%) victims sought help from the police - 23 were arrested, 15 were asked to leave, 29 were offered no help, 15 help offered.

(ii) Social Services – 42 (30%) victims sought help from social services departments - 17 departments sided with partner, 18 ignored the problem, 7 were helpful.

(iii) Housing – 38 (27%) victims sought help from housing departments - 10 were helpful : 28% were unhelpful

(iv) In terms of the quality of services they were offered - 6% said they were good, 24% said they were poor, 70% said they were non-existent : 89% wanted confidential helplines, 58% wanted refuges, 69% wanted drop-in centres, 95% wanted equal access to existing services.  

PROFILE OF VICTIMS

A survey of 140 victims who called the ManKind Initiative help-line in 2006 showed that:

(i) Average age, weight and height of a male victim is 42 years, 11st 9lb and 5’ 9”.

(ii) Average age, weight and height of a female perpetrator is 40 years, 10st 2lb and 5’6”.

(iii) Average duration of abuse is five and a half years with 72% suffering weekly or daily.

Produced by The ManKind Initiative September  2008