Domestic Violence against Men

Before the 1970s, domestic violence against men was almost unheard of. Today however, news about men suffering domestic violence is almost as wide spread as the same in women. Government statistics for the year 2000 states that 78 out of every 1,000 men have had instances of domestic violence perpetuated by their spouses in the United States alone. Although this is low compared to the 248 out of 1,000 cases reported in women, it serves to indicate that men too all victims of domestic violence. Unlike women who are fast to seek help when such occurs, the statistics further indicate that men rarely talk about their experiences and are therefore more likely to continue suffering without anyone outside the family circle ever knowing.

Studies indicate that domestic violence against men is usually done by women in self defense, when they feel the man is not meeting their needs and when they think the man is not attentive to them enough. Further, the abuse is perpetuated for purposes of resolving argument, responding to a crisis in the family or to simply stop the man from bothering her.

Domestic violence against men can also take other forms of abuse besides physical. Such include emotional blackmail. Women who carry on such abuse on their partners will do anything to hurt their partners emotionally. Usually their actions are guided by the desire to be vengeful, vindictive or simply to instigate animosity between them and their partners. Women who act violently towards men usually exhibit personality traits such as sudden anger, poor self-esteem and poor control of their impulses. Some theories indicate that women who perpetuate such violence may have suffered violence or may suffer from personality disorders that lead them to such aggressive behavior.

Some studies in the domestic violence against men indicate that women who abuse their men become even more violent when a man tries to find an escape from such abuse. Analysts suggest that this is because she feels powerful whenever she abuses the man. The prospect of loosing the man therefore instills a fear in her that she will loose her powers. Some analysts however suggest that if the man threatens to leave without the woman achieving the goal of her abuse, she will instinctively resist that move. Some objectives of a woman who instigates violence against the male members of her family include financial, emotional or physical punishment.

In defense, men are advised to get out of abusive relationships fast. In addition, should they suspect an underlying medical condition in the womans behavior it is always wise for the man to seek help for and on behalf of the woman.