LIKE their female counterparts, male victims of family violence and abuse often face many barriers to disclosing their abuse.Police statistics have revealed thousands of reports of male abuse, according to UG lecturer from the Women’s Study Unit Ms Audrey Benn,who was speaking recently at a symposium on violence against women hosted at the Pegasus Hotel. The event was organised by the Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) Caribbean Development Foundation, which started its 2015 campaign in Guyana.

Benn said that in 2010, the number of reported cases from males was 1,673; in 2011, it increased to 2,887 reports; in 2012, there was a downward spiral, with 2,761 cases; while, in 2013, there was a dramatic decrease with 749 reports; which continued in 2014 with 603 reported cases of domestic abuse.

Benn underscored that abuse of men takes many of the same forms as it does against women — physical violence, intimidation and threats; sexual, emotional, psychological, verbal and financial abuse; property damage and social isolation. Many men experience multiple forms of abuse.

She said that men, more so than women, could also experience legal and administrative abuse – the use of institutions to inflict further abuse on a victim; for example, taking out false restraining orders, or not allowing the victim access to his children.

She explained that while women are twice as likely to report instances of domestic violence, men have accounted for thousands of reports.

According to a study, male victims could be falsely arrested and removed from their homes on the assumption that, because they are male, they must be perpetrators and not victims. When this happens, children can be left unprotected from the perpetrator of the violence, leading many men to suffer the abuse in silence in an attempt to protect their children.

“Any violent, abusive or controlling behaviour by someone close to you, usually a partner or an ex-partner or a family member, is domestic violence and abuse. The abuse can be physical, emotional, verbal, sexual or financial. It can include bullying, threats, humiliation and isolation. You can experience domestic violence and abuse without having broken bones and bruises,” the study underscored.

The campaign by the Caribbean Development Foundation follows a 2010 movement which lobbied regional governments to strengthen the sector to serve victims of domestic violence, which has given NGOs more experience within the field.

By Rabindra Rooplall