Government pledges support for male victims of domestic abuse
Position paper published supplementing VAWG strategy
The Home Office has supplemented its strategy to end violence against women and girls (2016 to 2020) by publishing a position paper concerning male victims. The position paper pledges:
- £500,000 to specialist organisations that support male victims and survivors of domestic abuse to bolster support to these victims and survivors nationwide and provide a more comprehensive package of measures; and
- £500,000 to specialist LGBT domestic abuse organisations to improve inter-agency support for LGBT victims and survivors; raise awareness within LGBT communities to increase reporting; and improve monitoring and recording practices.
The government recognises that a significant number of men and boys also experience violent and abusive crimes that are captured in the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy. Those crimes include domestic abuse, all forms of current and historic sexual violence, stalking, and so-called 'honour based' violence/abuse (HBV/A), forced marriage, as well as the risks and harms associated with prostitution and sex work.
This paper seeks to clarify and strengthen the government's response to the increasing volume of male victims who come forward to report crimes captured in the Ending VAWG Strategy, and reaffirms its commitment under the government's VAWG Strategy and Victims Strategy to male victims and survivors of these crimes.
The paper emphasises that all victims and survivors deserve access to timely and appropriate support. A research study has found five key themes explaining men's reluctance to seek help: service target perception; shame and/or embarrassment; denial; stigmatisation; and fear. In addition, structural inequalities can discriminate or exclude, explicitly or implicitly, groups of victims and survivors such as gay, bisexual and transgender (GBT) men and boys. The paper recognises that men and boys require inclusive support that understands their needs.
The Home Office encourages the use of the following:
- The Respect Male Victims Toolkit
- Male Survivors Partnership – male service quality standards
- Barriers faced by LGBT people in accessing non-LGBT Domestic Violence Support Services- Galop.
For the position paper, click here. For the Ending VAWG Strategy, click here.
7/3/19 (supplemented 10/3/19)