Why Men Don t Report Domestic Abuse Introduction

Problem Statement

Today, domestic violence in the United States has been well-documented as a major social problem that has a number of adverse consequences, including threats of bodily harm, forced emotional and economic exploitation, sexual encounters as well as physical and psychological abuse (Carney, 2014). Domestic violence has also been referred to as “family violence,” “interpersonal violence," "spousal battering" and "intimate partner violence," but all of these constructs share the same foregoing controlling components (Carney, 2014). Although it goes by several different terms, domestic violence remains commonplace throughout the country and it adversely affects everyone involved irrespective gender, age, race, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, nationality or religion (Domestic violence fact sheet, 2018).

While most Americans believe that domestic violence is primarily directed against women, nearly as many men are abused each year with the same adverse outcomes (Domestic violence statistics, 2018). In fact, more than 25% of American men report having been domestically abused, including severe physical violence, at some point during their relationships (Domestic violence statistics, 2018) and many authorities suggest the figure is much higher (Dutton, 2011). These disturbing statistics clearly represent a significant public health threat in the United States, and these issues are discussed further below.

Importance of the Problem

While there have been aggressive efforts directed at addressing domestic violence against women in the United States in recent years, there has been far less attention paid to domestic violence against men for several reasons, but most especially the stigma that is associated with such abuse in an otherwise male-dominated society (Dutton, 2011). In addition, Carney (2014) emphasizes that, “Domestic violence against men often goes unrecognized for a variety of reasons. Men may be reluctant to report abuse because of embarrassment or fear of ridicule [or] they may be afraid they won't be believed. Therefore, less is known about male victims and the consequences of women as perpetrators” (p. 37). Likewise, a seminal study by Phelan, Hamberger, Guse, Walczak and Zosel (2005) determined that although men initiate domestic violence more often than women, men are far less likely to contact law enforcement authorities as a result of female-initiated domestic violence. Moreover, the same patterns have also been identified in same-sex relationships between males (Dutton, 2011). Taken together, the research to date confirms the harsh realities of domestic abuse against men as well as highlights the need for additional studies in this area. To this end, the proposed study will be guided by the research questions outlined below.

Research Questions

1. Why do men continue to stay silent about being abused?

2. How is domestic violence different for men compared to women?

3. What obstacles do men face when trying to prove that they are victims of domestic violence?

Purpose

The overarching purpose of this qualitative study is to develop timely and informed answers to the above-listed research questions.

In this regard, Dutton (2011) emphasizes that, “The attribution of female domestic violence to self-defense has been a shibboleth in the gender-biased world. It was invented as an explanation for the potentially embarrassing yet persistent finding that females perpetrated violence against their intimate partners as much or more than males” (p. 29).
Indeed, social science researchers such as Geert Hofstede (2018) have confirmed time and again that despite impressive gains by women in recent years, the United States remains a male-dominated society. For instance, Hofstede concludes that, “The score of the US on Masculinity is high at 62, and this can be seen in the typical American behavioral patterns. This can be explained by the combination of a high Masculinity drive together with the most Individualist drive in the world” (U.S. masculinity, 2018, para. 4). Given these findings, it is reasonable to suggest that there are some underlying dynamics that are involved that defy easy explanation but which exacerbate the propensity of many American women to engage in domestic abuse against their intimate partners.

Certainly, any type of intimate relationship is typically fraught with problems such as money or sexual issues which can result in heated exchanges between partners, but when these exchanges rise to the level of abusive behaviors, a growing body of evidence confirms that men are just as prone to such abuse as women. It is important to note, though, that domestic violence exists along a continuum ranging from relatively benign, isolated episodes such as a sharp word or passing insult all the way to homicide. As Liebler and Hatef (2016) point out, “People generally agree that physical acts such as punching or forced sex constitute domestic violence, although less agreement is found for forms of verbal aggression or behaviors such as stalking” (p. 7). While precise figures are unavailable, the most current estimates suggest that about 12% of American men report having been stalked by a female predator who made them fearful for their safety and even their lives (Men can be victims of abuse, too, 2014).

As noted above, while additional scholarship in this area is needed, most authorities believe that even the highest estimates of female-initiated domestic abuse are low, and conjecture that the reasons for this disparity in reported domestic abuse rates can be attributed to the following factors:

· Men are socialized not to express their feelings or see themselves as victims;

· Pervading beliefs or stereotypes about men being abusers, women being victims;

· The abuse of men is often treated as less serious, or a “joke”; and,

· Many believe there are no resources or support available for male victims (Men can be…