Domestic violence services for men with men as providers

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES FOR MEN AND MEN AS PROVIDERS OF SUCH SERVICES 21

Domestic violence services for men and men as providers of such services

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Introduction

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) can be psychological, sexual, or physical and has become a national, social, and health epidemic that affects many individuals and families on a daily basis. Many young married and dating couples have females committing IPV with men being the victimized (Straus & Ramirea, 2007, Whitaker et al., 2007 and Kay, 2009)). According to the Department of Justice, the numbers of males who are physically assaulted by intimate partners are 1.3 per thousand totaling approximately twenty percent of all IPV victims. Men are not the only ones who may slap, push, punch or beat up other men. Women too can turn abusive, by kicking, biting, spiting, throwing things or destroying property. Sometimes they (women) use knives, other objects or weapons to threaten children or male member of the household. Moreover, verbal abuse, belittlement, humiliation, hiding of essentials, and possessive habits can also be quite abusive when it happened to men. Women may threaten to leave a relationship and never permit the man to see the children, make false allegations to friends, police, or employers, or be in sole control of joint financial resources. According to Andrews and Khavinson (2012), IPV was not regarded as a public issue, but was viewed as unique and left to being solved within the family until there was a human rights push to put more pressure on the need to reform policy and enhance public awareness that accounts for mistreatment of victims. Health care services, legal provisions, schooling, housing, advocacy, and crisis hotlines emerged to deal with aftermath of IPV. Nonetheless, as women were safeguarded, men were not considered much; hence violence against them has been increasing and service provisions remains stagnated due to the feminist notion that males are perpetrators while women are victims (Straus, 2009). Research opines that men who seek services when they are violated are turned away from domestic violence services. There is a need for domestic violence services for men with men as the main providers of such services to help allieviate a possible avoidance by men needing to seek assistance in IPV situations.

Gender-based violence statistics from various sources suggest that women are equally violent towards men as men are towards women, yet there is less reporting by men of such. Gender-based violence is often due to unequal power relationships in an intimate partnership (Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, 2006). Such violence could immobilize someone health wise, cause trauma, violate basic human rights, or even result in death. According to Kaluyu (2007), black men are at a greater risk of spousal homicide than white husbands. Several men have turned to drugs, escaped from home in Africa due to physical and verbal torment/ abuse from their wives. Most domestic violence (DV) occurs as a result of extramarital affairs by husbands, failure to adequately fulfill the economic needs of the household, drugs, and alcoholism.

Although gender-based violence is perceived as commonly affecting only women, men are also victims of violence more often than accounted for. When a man is under abuse, he may face a resource shortage, police skeptics, and legal obstacles-particularly when they are seeking custody of children from an abusive woman. There are providers of services against such violence regardless of age, sexual orientation and occupation of the victim, but none specifically for men except in Delaware. I found one in Arkansas which has received some harsh reviews (Spencer 2016). Domestic and family violence often happens to men when perpetrated by children, wives or partners, siblings, parents, and caregivers. I also observed that some women are urged more to report violence committed against them than men as a result of the conceptualization of men as patriarchal in the society where the IPV may victimize them. The complex gender relationship may make men be fearful of victimization by seeking IPV services due to cisgender notions of male and female roles.

Most services should include men such as domestic violence agencies, counselors, etc., and not just law enforcement. In one study, Douglas & Hines (2011) indicated that many men complained of help being issued when they called agencies because they were never listened to or regarded as being serious. Instead, they were assumed to be the abusers, they were ridiculed for not being in control, and ignored. Furthermore, other agencies listened to accounts of the violence men faced but said they had no services for men. Since most services are female-oriented, there is not help to most men who reach out for the kind of aid they need to receive.

Police agencies, despite identifying the women as aggressors, often insinuated that it was silly to arrest her. Others indicated that a man has the option of living in a hotel. Some failed to believe that a man could be victimized by a woman or even if they charged the woman they usually lowered it to a lesser crime during juducial proceedings. Men who experienced IPV seek assistance from several resources which are informal in nature. Such resources include friends, families, and the internet. On the other hand, there are formal resources, which are DV agencies, the police, and DV hotlines that they usually stayed away from.

Though there are some limited services for men they are usually considered services for men as perpetrators of DV such as in Singapore and Hong Kong (Chan 2006). Nonetheless in countries like the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Canada there are about thirty-two service providers who target men as victims. In those cases, services that are meant for men address aspects of secretiveness, loss of face, tolerance, masculine identity, cultural values, and shame. One of the internet services for men of DV is called the Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting (2006) which opines that men who seek help are ignored, considered as the initiator of violence, mocked about their ability and size. Furthermore, some men deny having been victimized even when the women they are in relationships with repeatedly abuse them. Service providers have indicated that racial differences determine a victim’s access to help. Men of European descent seek help more so than do men African American heritage. There are also class differences as a determinant of the receptive ability of support. Middle class men will go seek help versus men of low-income or working class. Another observation is that Asian Americans refrain also from seeking professional assistance.

The cultural nature of the men in a society can often hamper the efforts of mens DV services. Cheung et al. (2009) comments that the Asian culture considers avoidance of shame, deference to authority, family recognition through achievement, humility, compliance based on hierarchical relationships, filial piety, and emotional self-control. Such a culture prevents men from seeking assistance whenever DV cases occur. Males may feel ashamed, humiliated, disgraced, or emotionally lost when they are abused and that prevents them from speaking out. In many available services, men are encouraged to call when they feel upset during marriage if they encounter financial hitches, work, or interpersonal challenges in a relationship as well as difficulties within a courtship plan. There were some services, which were adopted from the Quakers as early as 1975, that advocated for anger management services for batterers. In Hong Kong, there was an effort in society to work against family violence for there were increased rates of such occurrences. There are experiential workshops held for individuals so that they transform into peaceful people who can settle disputes in a peaceful manner. Others provide services to children who are abused, battered spouses, and those who are sexually abused. There are regulatory provisions that network with the non-governmental agencies to assist victims of violence on a provision of safety and timely intervention that is appropriate for them. Such help includes linking the victims to the police, taking them to hospitals, filing court cases for them, and helping them contact the appropriate governmental agencies for additional assistance. The court may order mandatory counseling to both the victims and perpetrator. Among the known services are social services that provide counseling, housing amenities, organized referrals, rehabilitation, community facilities, and related facilities to assist the victims of assault, sexual violence as well as counseling to other family members. These amenities assess, treat the abusers and victims of DV and other form of violence when they detect signs of psychopathology. Other services available for men in China is The Family Crisis Support Center within Hong Kong Family Society and SWD. These services offer development of a systematic and localized group intervention in DV cases where battery has occurred. Integrated Family Service Centers otherwise referred to as Integrated Services Centers are NGOS that counsel and give tangible support to sexually violated individuals. In collaboration with SWD and other NGOs IFSCs report DV to the police, afford crisis intervention, support through clinical psychology, monetary assistance, legal advice, schooling for children, placement to jobs and housing assistance. The housing aid could be conditional tenancy or compassionate rehousing.

The Family and Child Providers Services, as a group of SWD, they are a one-stop outreach and intensive program for the victims of abuse. The internet program such as Men’s Health is an online facility through which men’s health concerns are enhanced and their interests examined. Another helpline service is the Family Crisis Support Center, Hotline Service and the Mutual Aid. The Hotline provides data on social welfare for the victims of DV and sexual abuse. The hotlines operates 24 hours day and night. Then there is the Four Refuge Centers that affords temporary housing for men who have experienced DV. The Domestic Violence Counseling Office serves victims of DV by counseling them, offering medical and legal support as well as keeping their homes free of violence while training them on how to seek medical and legislative care. They also hold some campaigns and counseling forums. Moreover, the Seoul Sexual Assault Counseling Center affords counseling, legal and medical assistance to the victims of rape and sexual abuse. The victims are also trained on domestic violence, sexual education, and health aesthetic consideration.

There are NGO and government amenities that take care of the men’s needs. According to Cheung and Tsui (2009) Singapore’s services are state based though the NGOs step in or collaborate with governmental organizations sometimes. Conversely, Australian operation is through ‘Mensline’s Online Counseling Services,' which assist men when they are either victims or perpetrators. Similarly, the Service Assisting Male Survivors of Sexual Assault openly has its focus on the male survivors of sexual assault and child sexual abuse. Alternatively, Commissioner for Victims’ Rights, in the Australian Southern part and is open to both men and women who intend to talk to someone who clearly understands what DV is all about (Cheung 7 Tsui, 2009). Man Alive in New Zealand are existing programs which enhance men’s talking of responsibility for their violent encounters and offer assistance that can enable them to transform or end their violent behaviors. In Canada, U.S. and UK there websites, agencies, and programs are a bit different. Operating 24 hour, the Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men affords a worldwide hotline in the USA for ever victim of DV inclined towards men who are battered or same-sex victims. According to Hines et al. (2007) who seek help in the entire nation, though its central location is 2007 the records from January 2002 to November 2003 indicate that more calls are from male victims calling to seek services. The resource offers them data abut intimate partner victim friendly violence, process of filing orders when protecting self from abuse, education and awareness assistance.The men had become free in calling unlike when it opened (Valgardson, 2014). From analysis men who are perpetrators hardly call, but the victims call explaining their experiences and seeking how to control the situation particularly when they face extreme situations.Most of the men who have tried services were established as unemployed, disabled, while for those who worked they were in the military, law enforcement, manual labor (Valgardson, 2014). Others were professionals in prestigious occupations like engineering, law, professors, doctors whose wives physically abused by punching, grabbing or kicking the groin area or slapped and hit them consistently. Some testified to be choked,stabbed and threatened by their wives and children were their witnesses.

UK has hotlines too like Men’s Alternative Safe House works towards offering men and fathers their children and a chance to get out of a potentially exploitative domestic conditions.They give beds to men and children and ensure that the immediate goal has been met for an abused man. Men Cry Too in the UK has some resources that target male victim who seek DV. The provisions affords chances to talk about violence anonymously then following resources explaining data, facts, myths, and coping methods are stressed. On the other hand, Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men in the USA, Ottawa Men’s Center in Canada is a devoted support organization that primarily focuses on the suicide by fathers hence affords provision that can allow a man to divorce when there is impartial life. They further work against false allegations of victims, gender bias, parental alienation by supporting parents and men. Its aim is to eliminate any for of violence and abuse that can result in suicide. Men’s Advice Line & Enquiries in the UK help men deal with their abuse for it targets desperately abused men (Valgardson, 2014). The M.A.L.E have an assortment of information, counseling amenities and hotline connections for men experiencing or who have ever gone through DV from intimate partners. They have telephone facilities that serve 28 hours a week and outreach worker services that liaise with other organizations in statutory and voluntary care provision for the male victims. The shelter facilities are four in the USA, and one in every Canadian and UK state exclusively for children and men, They powerfully communicate the need for help for men. The other technology is a mechanism of reaching out to the abused men using online support groups alongside emails.

Equal Justice Foundations in Colorado helps males with physical or mental abuse suffering and encourages them to write stories or looks for assistance through email address to the management so that the law and be used in receiving equal legislative justice. The foundation emphasizes that abuse is human problem and not a gender issue as it has been interpreted in the world (Cheung et al., 2009). Stop Abuse for Everyone is a human rights society with professionals and ready to help those who lack services. They have training sessions, presentations, and brochures addressing matters of the underserved DV in several languages using online processes. Domestic Violence Against Man in Colorado are online support lines for men who are under DV. The men are encouraged to share mutual information on the internet in the USA. Similarly, Men Web that promotes men who are violated to email their situations and personal experience whereas Shattered Men International is an organization within Indiana and targets churches, other groups, or schools to teach against abuse in a Biblical perspective. The internet provision goes far as yahoo interactive club that is open for everyone. There are other Internet rules through which men share personal stories via emails as long as they are victims, such information is treated as strictly anonymous.

In the case of Ireland notes that there are about seventeen services that serve both men and women offering advocacy, support, and information to the victims of-of sexual violence. The groups have 14 RCNI related services too with agents and three non-network groups whose services include freephone helpline (COSC, 2011). More services emerged in 2007 where 4 Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATUs) attached to hospitals were established nationwide and built locations in Donegal, Waterford, Cork, and Dublin. The domestic violence devoted amenities are about forty-nine whereby nineteen provide advocacy while thirty have DV support services. Among all these thirty are purely fit men with one discretely for the old people.

Female partners have been reported of threatening to leave their husbands, emotionally abusing them through calling of names and humiliating treatment as well as intimidating the by instilling fear, abusing pets, displaying weapons, and smashing property. Besides, some misuse the judicial system, file false allegations against their husbands, blame their husbands to be abusive and deny being violent as well as isolate the men fro family and friends. In other cases, women control household finance, telephone lines and use the children to enhance a violent relationship. Soe men, however, are abused by brothers, care keepers, neighbors workmates and lovers who they have not yet married (Hines & Douglas, 2010). Reminds the readers that though men seek help, they are afraid to do so.

Of late men have began feeling free to call services, go for counseling and sharing stories about their personal domestic violence cases with agents. Furthermore, when men offer services, they are not biased and tend to seek an understanding rather than taking an assumption about the male victim.Such men can call helplines often DAHM in America and receive the guidance, legislative help, shelter and education that is required in DV experiences. Advocacy for the rights of men and prohibition from victimization has indeed helped men to overcome the shame, face value and after cultured thoughts about violence (Hines et al., 2007). Through questions these victims are asked by volunteers, men give demographic information, abuse data, and characteristics of the partner hence facilitating assistance. Most victims were established to fall in the ages between 19 and 54 and the wives targeted the testicles.The women do abuse men so as to have control over them and use the children as pawns (Hines et al., 2007). Many people complained of failing to get immediate response and help from the police unless they are persistently called.Sometimes the police mistreat them, mock their situations or even put the in jail on suspicion that such men are perpetrators of DV.

Here is specialized training for providers of assistance to men who have faced DV. According to Stover & Lent (2014) the advocates, interventionists as well as physicians deserve to have relevant knowledge of how to handle men who have been violated. Male as providers of domestic violence services for women have established that the patriarchal and feminist approaches violate the rights of men. WEAVE which was created as early as 1978 is a great service for the people who are broken (Rooney, 2010). There is a strong advocacy by WEAVE to protect the rights of men and father one they are identified as victims. These services address the fear that hampers men from seeking assistance and try as such much they can through the agents and service people to disillusion the feelings of shame, stigma, and reluctance to report. The greatest challenge they address is the unfortunate unused of children to manipulate the husband and ridicule them by empowering the man into maintaining control and overcoming severe violence and domestic violence cases. Furthermore, they develop mechanisms of therapeutic intervention so as to address trauma and neurological damage of the victim, mental health and low self-esteem that came along with the abusive relationship. Besides, the service provides a 24-hour peer counseling service so that the unemployed, the addicted, the immigrants and mentally affected men are given correlating care and sustainable wellness (Rooney, 2010). However, there are times when the services of story-telling have a mixture of both men and women sharing studies. Such open testimonies make the men come to terms with violence and realize that they can overcome it and that they are not necessarily the instigators of the violence in the intimate relationship.There is sheltering of men who seek assistance in orientation workshop, legal service provision, and training of family dynamics. Considering the assessment on the risk of the family, the group ensures that they reunify families is they deem it is safe to do so, but they hold the perpetrator of violence accountable for their misdemeanor, treat those who are ready to change and serve the needs of the family.

Facilitators indicate that once men are supported, they can firmly go ahead and seek assistance The facilitators of DV assistance opine that close friends and family members are the ones who should be firm and support these men (Tilbrook et al., 2010). The most common family member to be talked to is a father. Afterward, the man should reach for the professionals moreso the counselors who can readily receive and understand the victims, comfort them, offer relief and explain certain concepts of abuse.

From the agents, it is evident that some men who are in heterosexual relationships may not seek service for they think the providers cannot believe their study will discriminate them or will lack skills to handle such violence. The reason behind these feelings is that heterosexual relationships are not recognized by law (Tilbrook et al., 2010). Besides, men who have been perpetrators of violence fear reporting their cases when they are abused for they know that records in the legislative centers show their past and no one may believe that they can be violated too. For fear of confidentiality, men have hidden their cases of violence for they are to ensure that whatever they share with the service providers will not be revealed to other parties.

Recommendation

As such, there is need for men to be educated and learn that abuse is a violation fo rights and unless it is reported and addressed it will continue to thrive. Besides, plenty of information need to be exposed to the public, so that shame, victimization, and fear is eliminated among men (Tilbrook et al., 2010). Abuse should be clearly perceived among men so that the have courage to share their experiences in the media, in public and court when needed.It is also indicated that many agencies do not balance matters of abuse amongst men and women, they defend women while neglecting men, they abuse support. It is thus important that organizations understand the concept of violence and deal with it as expected.The companies should appreciate various sex groups in the society.

Conclusion

Overall observations offers that despite the presence of services that target men, their rate of seeking for assistance are low. According Chan (2006), the emphasis on face and the consideration of losing a face as a cultural perception has caused men to avoid visiting help centers for they believe they will be victimized. Also. They think their reputation will be ruined; they will be shared or considered lesser beings if the public learns about their domestic or sexual abuse. Meanwhile, there has been a high likelihood of a man valuing the cultural identity, tolerance, masculine identity, cultural values and loss of face than health and mental security. The resistance varies according to the gender, class, race and role in the society hence low prevalence among the African American, Asian American, and low or working class men to seek assistance in the available services. Nonetheless, the treatment received from individual agencies, organizations and service lines encourages men to keep off from such services. As indicated earlier different service providers tend to consider view the male victims as perpetrators, weak, unreasonable hence that puts them off from reporting violence encounters. The long-lasting and effectual help to men has set a turning point in what has been almost a discouraging system to men. With helplines and customer care provisions, people practically share stories of their encounters or begin to understand that there is nothing shaming in being abused. Furthermore, counseling, advocacy, training, court guidance services help abused men to handle their abuse by filing cases, training them, offering them with necessary education, shelter, financial empowerment, therapy solutions, and treatment.

References

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