Impacts of family violence on male victims

Abuse of men takes many of the same forms as it does against women - physical violence, intimidation and threats; sexual, emotional, psychological, verbal and financial abuse; property damage and social isolation. Many men experience multiple forms of abuse. Men, more so than women, can also experience legal and administrative abuse - the use of institutions to inflict further abuse on a victim, for example, taking out false restraining orders or not allowing the victim access to his children.

The impacts of family violence on male victims include:

• Fear and loss of feelings of safety
• Feelings of guilt and/or shame
• Difficulties in trusting others
• Anxiety and flashbacks 
• Unresolved anger
• Loneliness and isolation
• Low self-esteem and/or self-hatred
• Depression, suicidal ideation, self-harm and attempted suicide
• Use of alcohol or other drugs to cope with the abuse
• Physical injuries
• Sexual dysfunction and/or impotence
• Loss of work
• Loss of home
• Physical illness
• Loss of contact with children and/or step-children
• Concern about children post separation.

To add insult to injury, male victims of family violence often find it distressing to see social marketing campaigns such as Violence Against Women Australia Says No (federal) and Don’t Cross the Line (SA), which suggest that men are the only perpetrators of family violence and women and children the only victims.

Gay men can be reluctant to report the abuse they are suffering because they are afraid of revealing their sexual orientation. They can also suffer threats of ‘outing’ of their sexual preference or HIV status by the perpetrator. The perpetrator might also tell them that no one will help because the police and the justice system are homophobic.

Source : http://www.oneinthree.com.au