Today is ‘Supporting Male Victims of Domestic Abuse Day’, an important day to encourage men experiencing this terrible crime to come forward seek support from specialist services. One in every six to seven men will become a victim of domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime, therefore it is crucial to ensure proper support is made available and victims are aware of it.

This terrible abuse can come in many different forms, including physical or sexual abuse, violent or threatening behaviour, controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse or psychological, emotional, or other abuse. I know the harmful toll this can take not only on the victim but also on those around them. It is a devastating crime, and I am determined to do as much as I can to support those who experience it.

Today, to help raise awareness of the support which available to help victims of abuse, I want to hand over my newsletter to The Mankind Initiative, a charity dedicated to focusing on male victims of domestic abuse. I am pleased to commission this trailblazing organisation to ensure the right help is available for men in our county. Over to their CEO Mark Brooks to explain more.

“Our experience from running a helpline for nearly 25 years for men suffering from domestic abuse shows that so many feel they are the only man in the world going through it. They are not alone though; other Dorset men are going through this right now, and many more have escaped.

“The latest Government figures show that 750,000 men are victims of domestic abuse every year with the majority from a current or ex-partner. One in six to seven men will suffer in their lifetime from this wide-ranging problem. It could be physical, psychological, or economic abuse. It could also be coercive (being harmed, threatened, living in fear) or controlling (losing your independence) behaviour too. Normally it is a combination of these.

“Many men who call us also fear they will not be believed or taken seriously. This could not be further from the truth and Dorset Police take these reports very seriously. Alongside the work which we carry out at Mankind, there are great organisations in the county providing first class local support for men. These include Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA) and Paragon who have years of experience in providing practical domestic abuse support. 

“We also know that friends, family, and work colleagues plus others like local GPs also take men seriously. Please do reach out to those who you trust. We constantly hear from men about how they were able to take the first steps in leaving an abusive relationship because someone they knew and trusted reached out a hand.

“We also run a survivors’ recovery programme for men in Dorset called Acorn. It helps men who have recovered from domestic abuse put their lives back together. Kindly supported by the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, this peer-to-peer course gives men the further confidence that what happened to them has been experienced by so many others. It has been a great success and there are still places available.

“There is a key message for any man who may read this and is suffering from abuse at home. You are not weak. You are not to blame. You are not alone. You will be believed and be supported.

“Reach out to those you trust, to Dorset Police, to local specialist domestic abuse organisations and of course, us too. We are all on your side.”

Thank you to Mark for these powerful words; I reiterate his message wholeheartedly – you will be believed and supported. Over the years, I’ve heard some truly appalling accounts from victims about the impact these crimes have had on them, and that’s why it is so vital to have tailored support to suit the different needs of victims.

Domestic abuse is a devastating crime which can ruin lives. As well as having the right services to support victims, my Office works with partners to commission programmes which disrupt perpetrator abuse and support them to change their behaviours. If we can stop more people becoming victims of this atrocious offence, then fewer people live in fear.

David Sidwick

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner

How to find support

 - You can find information on Mankind’s website including their helpline and recovery programme: https://www.mankind.org.uk

 - BCHA and Paragon provide local support to men in Dorset and they can be contacted via https://www.bcha.org.uk/our-services/bcha-support/domestic-abuse/ or  https://paragonteam.org.uk/teams/dorset/

 - Dorset Police – how to report domestic abuse