Calls from male victims of domestic violence soar 40% to over 5,000

A SUPPORT service for male victims of domestic violence received over 5,000 calls for help this year, an increase of 40% on last year’s figures.

Amen, which received over 3,600 calls for help in 2009, expects this year’s record figure to increase even further over Christmas.

Manager of the service, Niamh Farrell, said Amen also experienced a surge of calls when the RTÉ soap Fair City featured one of its character being physically and emotionally abused by his wife.

Ms Farrell also pointed out that the service was inundated with calls at this time of year from men forced to leave the family home because of abuse.

Ms Farrell said the men who sought help found it extremely difficult to talk about the abuse.

“Once they know that we will believe them, they start telling their story and are amazed when they find out there are more men in the same situation,” she said.

Meanwhile, Women’s Aid has produced awareness packs for health professionals in four maternity hospitals in Dublin so they can recognise and respond to women experiencing abuse during pregnancy.

Research in a Dublin maternity hospital showed that one-in-eight women experienced abuse during their pregnancy.

* Women’s Aid free phone: [phone].

* Amen 046-9023718 or out-of-hours 086-7941880.