Can Men Be Victims of Domestic Violence?

Can Men Be Victims of Domestic Violence?

When you hear domestic violence, the first thing that comes to mind is most likely a man physically abusing a woman. Domestic violence is often portrayed this way in TV shows and movies.
This asks the question, can men be victims of domestic violence?

Anyone can be a victim of domestic violence – including men. This article covers males as domestic violence victims, the ways they can be victimized, and how a defense attorney can help if you’ve been charged with domestic violence.

Are you facing domestic violence charges? Unhappy with your current attorney? Request a free consultation now.

Sadly, many male victims do not seek help due to the fear of not being believed, embarrassment and shame.

In What Ways Can Men Be Victims of Domestic Violence?

Men can be victims of domestic violence in the same ways anyone else can be a victim of domestic violence.

Abuse can be physical, sexual, or emotional and at the hands of a man or women.

Michigan law states that a person is considered to be an abuser if the victim is:

• a spouse,
• former spouse,
• someone he or she is dating or has dated,
• someone he or she shares a child with, or
• someone who resides or used to reside in the same household as the abuser.

Indicators of domestic violence include:

1. Extreme jealousy
2. Possessiveness
3. Animal cruelty
4. Verbal abuse
5. Unpredictability
6. Stalking
7. Extremely controlling behavior such as withholding money, car keys, preventing a victim from attending school/work, etc.
8. Control over how the victim dresses or how they act
9. Forced sexual intercourse or disregard of partner’s unwillingness to have sexual intercourse

How Many Domestic Violence Victims Are Men?

The Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) studies intimate partner violence (IPV), also known as domestic violence.

They study four types of IPV:

1. sexual violence,
2. stalking,
3. physical violence, and
4. psychological aggression.

They described an intimate partner as a, “romantic or sexual partner and included spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends, people with whom they dated, were seeing, or ‘hooked up.’”

What they found was that 1 in 10 (12.1 million) men in the U.S. experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and or stalking by an intimate partner and reported some form of IPV-related impact during their lifetime.

An IPV impact is defined as experiencing the following:

• being fearful,
• concerned for safety,
• injury,
• need for medical care,
• needed help from law enforcement,
• missed at least one day of work/school,
• any post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms,
• need for housing services,
• need for victim advocate services,
• need for legal services, and
• contacting a crisis hotline.

Additionally, they found that approximately 1 in 3 (37.3 million) men experienced that same abuse during their lifetime without reporting some form of IPV-related impact.

Essentially, 33.6 percent of men surveyed did not seek out domestic violence services.

While 25.1 percent of women reported some form of IPV-related impact, only 10.9 percent of men reported the same.

This could be attributed to the stigma surrounding men and not being able to “fight off” their abusers and the belief that domestic violence laws and resources don’t apply to them.

Additionally, 43.1 percent of men experienced their first IPV during the ages of 25+, with 41.2 percent experiencing the same at the ages of 18-24 and 14.6 percent under the age of 17.

How a Domestic Violence Attorney Can Help You

We now know that men can be victims of domestic violence and that if the situation occurs, they may need a skilled domestic violence attorney.

A domestic violence conviction can lead to other legal problems.

For instance, a conviction of domestic assault may lead to issues with immigration and/or child custody.

An arrest for assaultive behavior may also result in professional licensing issues.

This article covers domestic violence and a statute of of limitations for charges to be brought against you.

This is especially true for individuals who are employed in the medical field or work with children.

Hiring an experienced attorney who understands Michigan’s domestic violence laws is imperative for the future of your career and family.

Are you facing domestic violence charges? Unhappy with your current attorney? Request a free consultation now.