Statistics on Male Victims of Domestic Abuse

Statistics

Below are statistics on male victims of domestic abuse. Please also consult the research page.

Key Document (this is being revised so please use the up to date summary/overarching statistics below): 70 Key Facts and Statistics about Male Victims of Domestic Abuse and Partner Abuse (June 2023)

Summary/Overarching Statistics (Up to Date)

• The latest Office for National Statistics figures (2022/23) show that one in three victims of domestic abuse are male equating to 751,000 men (3.2%) and 1.38 million women (5.7%). From this, 483,000 men and 964,000 women are victims of partner abuse. (ONS 2022/23).
• One in seven men (13.9%) and one in four women (27%) will be a victim of domestic abuse in their lifetime (ONS figures 2022/23).
• Of domestic abuse crimes recorded by the police, 25% were committed against men (ManKind Initiative).
• Only 4.8% of victims of domestic abuse being supporting by local domestic services are men according to SafeLives data. This highlights how few men are being supported for local domestic abuse services (ONS 2022/23).
• 58.9% of the men who call the ManKind Initiative helpline have never spoken to anyone before about the abuse they are suffering and 64% would not have called if the helpline was not anonymous (ManKind Initiative).
• Currently in the UK (1 February 2024) there are 57 organisations with 410 refuge or safe accommodation spaces available for men (108 are dedicated for men and 302 for men or women). These figures are hugely skewed by one organisation with 46 dedicated spaces. If these were removed, the spaces would be 56 organisations with 359 places (64 dedicated). The median number per organisation is 5 spaces. (ManKind Initiative).
• 21% of male victims (2022/23) fail to tell anyone they are a victim of partner abuse – which is big improvement as previously it was 49% in 2017/18. The figures for female victims are 18.2% (2022/23) and 19% (2017/18. (ONS 2022/23).
• 6.5% of male victims (2.8% women) have considered taking their life due to partner abuse in 2022/23. The charity has seen an increase in calls regarding suicide ideation over the pandemic period and beyond. (ONS 2022/23).
• In 2022/23, 13 men died at the hands of their partner or ex-partner compared to 56 women. (ONS 2022/23).

Office for National Statistics: Key Document Page (latest up until end of March 23)

Summary-Police-Reporting-2021-2022 – including male victims and female victims

Convictions of Domestic Abuse by gender (2004/05 – 2021/22) – new

Domestic Abuse Homicides (2007 – 08 to 2021 – 22) Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (“Clare’s Law”) update  – coming soon

Male Victims of Domestic Abuse and Partner Abuse:Briefing on Gender and Sexuality of Perpetrators (The Gender of their Perpetrators is Overwhelmingly Female)

Successful complaint to Office for Statistics Regulation about the Home Office use in the Statutory Guidance (Domestic Abuse Bill / Act) of the word “vast” to describe the difference in the numbers of women and men perpetrating domestic abuse. The Statutory Guidance stated “Domestic abuse most commonly takes place in intimate partner relationships. The vast majority is perpetrated by men against women…” The Office for Statistics Regulation decision was to support the ManKind Initiative complaint and therefore not allow the Home Office to use the word in the description.

Media Coverage of male victims of domestic abuse including cases and examples

Media Coverage of Male Victims of Domestic Abuse (2007 to 25 January 2024)

———————————————————————————————————————————————–Archive (preserved to protect links)

Office for National Statistics (England and Wales) / Scotland:

 The key ONS reports can be found on this page called Domestic abuse in England and Wales overview: November 2020:

These reports include:

Domestic abuse prevalence and trends, England and Wales: year ending March 2019: Report –  and Data –

Domestic abuse victim characteristics, England and Wales: year ending March 2019: Report  –and Data –

Partner abuse in detail, England and Wales: year ending March 2018: Report  –and Data –

The nature of violent crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2018 (published February 2019)

Intimate (ex) Partner Homicides: Men (to 2015/16) – old

Convictions of Domestic Abuse (2004/05 – 2017/18) – old

Domestic abuse: findings from the Crime Survey for England and Wales: year ending March 2018 (published November 2018)

Domestic abuse in England and Wales: year ending March 2018 – charity, police and other data (published November 2018)

Datatools (published November 2018)

Scotland Domestic Abuse Survey (November 2018)

70 Key Facts and Statistics about Male Victims of Domestic Abuse and Partner Abuse (April 2023)

55 Key Facts about Male Victims of Domestic Abuse and Partner Abuse (April 2021)

50 Key Facts about Male Victims of Domestic Abuse and Partner Abuse (March 2020)

Convictions of Domestic Violence perpetrators (2004 -2014) – old

Convictions for Domestic Abuse – (2004/05 to 2016/17) – old

Focus on violent crime and sexual offences, England and Wales: year ending Mar 2016 (published on 9 February 2017) and  (published 8 February 2018) for year ending Mar 2017

Convictions of Domestic Abuse (2004/05 – 2018/19) – new

Domestic Abuse Homicides (2007 – 08 to 2018 – 19)– new