Helpline launched for male victims of domestic violence - Press & Journal

Scotland gets it...when will the USA? Helpline launched for male victims of domestic violence - Press & Journal

Help for Men Who are Victims of Domestic Violence

Help for Men Who are Victims of Domestic Violence

DEAR ABBY: I know most of your readers are women, but could you please spread awareness of female-on-male domestic violence? You have done a great job with male-on-female abuse awareness, and I think American society is fairly well saturated with it. But there is little out there for men who have been or are being abused. -- MINNESOTA READER DEAR READER: Domestic violence is not restricted to any social, racial, religious, economic group or particular gender. And while male victims may be embarrassed to disclose it, men can be victims of domestic violence, too. In years past, men were hesitant to call a domestic abuse hotline when there was a crisis because they were ashamed, had been bullied into thinking they "deserved it," or were afraid they wouldn't be believed. That is no longer the case. Male victims of domestic violence can find help by contacting the Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women. The organization's toll-free helpline is (888) 743-5754 or log onto its Web site at www.dahmw.org. http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/?uc_full_date=20100424

Study examines domestic violence: thedailycougar.com

Study examines domestic violence: thedailycougar.com Study examines domestic violence By Sarah Wiggins-Goff Published: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 UH doctoral candidate Venus Tsui, under the supervision of Monit Cheung, the doctoral dissertation chair at the Graduate School of Social Work, is conducting a survey of male victims of domestic violence in order to better understand the issue. “It is definitely a challenging and tough topic,” Tsui said. “Although underreported and less common, male victims of domestic violence suffer negative physical and psychological consequences which are similar to their female counterparts.” Tsui said the underreporting of domestic violence toward men is due to two main inhibitors: society and men themselves. “Related literature and extant studies reveal that men are often discriminated against by domestic violence service providers and law enforcement systems in the help-seeking process,” Tsui said. This and other forms of exclusion breed a stigma in men that causes them embarrassment and is often the ultimate provocation to keep the abuse to themselves, Tsui said. “They face the challenge of masculine identity when reporting the abuse,” she said. “Socialization affects how men behave, and seeking help is often thought (of) as a sign of weakness.” Cheung’s interest in the subject dates back to 2006 when she was a radio talk host for the Houston-Hong Kong Radio, AM 1050 and AM 1180, during a live phone-in program. “In this 25-week program, I found that very few men called in, but for those who called, eight of them expressed that they were abused – physically and/or emotionally – by their partners/wives,” Cheung wrote in an e-mail interview. “I started to research more about male victims/survivors of domestic violence.” Similarly, Tsui’s personal interest in the subject developed when she was living in Hong Kong and witnessed men as victims of domestic violence. The two researchers’ shared curiosities eventually led them to co-creating this survey. “With my research, I hope to identify the barriers and facilitators to help-seeking among male victims of partner abuse as well as to develop effective prevention and intervention strategies that are gender-sensitive and responsive to the unique needs of male victims,” she said. Both researchers recognize that the sheer secretiveness behind this issue is the very root of the problem. “To help male victims in need, it is important to not only encourage them to ask for help, but also dispel the myth and acknowledge their need for services in the society,” Tsui said. The survey, which is completely anonymous, is available both online and in paper format. It can be found online at www.surveymonkey.com/s/KS9WG96

WEAVE fights traditional images of domestic violence offering men help from abusers | News10.net | Sacramento, California | News

WEAVE fights traditional images of domestic violence offering men help from abusers WEAVE fights traditional images of domestic violence offering men help from abusers | News10.net | Sacramento, California | News SACRAMENTO, CA - When they first opened their doors and became incorporated in 1978, they likely had no idea how their role might evolve as a provider of crisis intervention services in Sacramento. Even their name indicated they were going into business with the intent of helping women -- not men. The founders called their organization WEAVE: Women Escaping A Violent Environment. 32 years later, the name endures. But the times have changed, as has the clientele. According to people who have used WEAVE services, the perception of the group remains largely the same as it was 30 years ago. "I didn't know about them, and I didn't know they would help men," said Paul Smith, a WEAVE client. Another WEAVE Client, Michael Dimmitt, said he also thought the organization might not be for him. "It's not well known among men that WEAVE services are available to them," Dimmitt said. "Men don't talk about it with each other." The "it" he's referring to is domestic violence. Four years ago, Dimmitt and Smith both would have had a hard time talking about their situations. Now, they have no problem sharing details they once considered mortifying. "I had a physically abusive wife who did things such as slug me, and grab me," said Dimmitt. "It began on the honeymoon." "My ex-wife started smacking me about year two of our marriage," said Smith. "She just beaned me clean across the face. I hadn't been hit that hard since football." Both of their marriages ended in divorce in 2006. But in the aftermath, Dimmitt did one thing that Smith did not. Dimmitt remembers that moment when he first walked into WEAVE headquarters, asking himself if he was going to the right place. "When I first came here, I had trepidation," Dimmitt said. "Five minutes after being here, there was absolutely no concern on my part of being in there with the women. They accepted me. It was very comfortable." It's a moment Smith never experienced because he thought WEAVE was just for women. "I didn't understand what they were all about, for men," Smith said. "You don't know much as a man, because there are no services available for men. There's no WEAVE for men." The organization's leader says it is a false perception they are constantly working to change. "I know that there are men out there who need help," said WEAVE Executive Director Beth Hassett. She said her organization has had to reinvent how it does outreach in the community because the realm of domestic violence counseling has changed so much since the late 1970s. "All agencies like WEAVE grew out of the women's movement," Hassett said. "We were organizations that were formed by women, for women. "When I first got here, men were not allowed in some of our drop-in groups that are open to the community, so we made those co-ed," explained Hassett. Still, she said one of their biggest challenges is putting male victims at ease. According to Hassett, many are too embarrassed to step forward and admit that they've been abused. "We've got to figure out how to reach these people, because every victim needs help, and we're here for every victim," said Hassett. According to the Department of Justice, about 835,000 men are assaulted by an intimate partner every year. For women, the number is 1.3 million. "We're serving children, we're serving men," said Hassett. "We're serving victims of all sorts that don't fit into the mold they're imagining." Dimmit convinced himself to break through that mold four years ago. "It's provided balance and an openness to the future," he said. "I don't think I would have achieved that in other circumstances had it not been for WEAVE." Smith said he wishes he'd taken the same approach. "Had I had a different mind set, I probably would have been in the next day to WEAVE," Smith said. The organization has had such a hard time changing the perception they're only for women, that they're considering a name change, or at least some kind of public awareness marketing campaign. The goal is to make sure men realize WEAVE is a place for them to seek domestic violence counseling, just as it is for women. By Will Frampton, wframpton@news10.net. News10/KXTV Copyright 2010 / All Rights Reserved