Can Men Be Victims of Violence in Intimate Relationships?

Abuse is abuse, no matter how you swing it.

They are not invulnerable after all. Yes, men, much like women, can be victims of physical violence and psychological maltreatment.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious issue that should be openly discussed.

Although violence and maltreatment in intimate relationships affect both genders, women are often presented as victims compared to men. However, we forget and fail to see that women, too, can be perpetrators of abuse in all forms.

We live in a society that disregards men’s weaknesses. Categorizing them as both an immovable object and an unstoppable force, society seems to forget that men are only mortal vessels.

And as mortal as they are, they, too, can suffer various abuses.

However, the stigma and societal expectations surrounding masculinity tend to discourage men from talking about such abuse, resulting in a lack of awareness for male victims.

Why men have trouble opening up about violence and maltreatment in intimate relationships

Despite the abuse, many men, unfortunately, have few options when it comes to aid because of their fear of judgment. They can’t run to their family in fear of being labeled as weak, nor can they seek professional help, because if someone finds out why, it puts them to shame.

Additionally, men are, more often than not, accused of being the abuser, thus preventing them from speaking out.

Let's put it this way: when people see a woman being assaulted by her boyfriend on a public street, they tend to react quickly and assist. People will risk their own lives to protect the victim.

However, if you turn the tables and put men in the spotlight as victims, people will not react violently; they will even find it amusing, even saying that he probably deserves it.

This sparks a general rule as to why men prefer to remain silent.

The impact of silence

Aside from obvious physical scars or wounds, men frequently suffer significant mental scars as well, including humiliation, guilt, and the total emasculation of their dignity.

As far as keeping it silent, take into consideration that most men will never know how or when the violence and maltreatment started. All they know is that when things got too far, they had to take it. Otherwise, they would become “failures,” making them fall deeper into the rabbit hole.

We should start acknowledging that men can be in abusive relationships

Just because it’s happening to them doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do anything about it. There is no doubt that men can be victims; that’s why we should show our support regardless of where we stand.

Also, while experiencing violence and maltreatment in intimate relationships makes one want to keep silent, men should have the voice to speak for themselves.

It's never okay to put such acts aside. And for change to happen, they should find the courage to jumpstart it.

Intimate partner violence doesn’t discriminate based on gender or status; it knows no boundaries. That said, to overcome this type of challenge, there needs to be proper communication about the issue to both men and women.