Male victims of domestic abuse urged to speak out and ‘reclaim’ voice

New figures show men accounted for almost one-third of victims of domestic abuse crimes recorded during a 12-month period. File picture: Getty images

Male victims of domestic abuse are being encouraged to speak out and seek support amid concerns many remain reluctant to report their experiences.

The Every Victim Matters initiative, launched by the PSNI, aims to challenge misconceptions around domestic abuse, highlight the different forms it can take, and encourage men experiencing abuse to seek support.

The initiative comes as support groups have warned male victims remain "under-recognised and underserved" and are often reluctant to seek help.

In a submission to an Oireachtas committee last month, Men's Aid said many men "do not identify their experience as abuse, do not believe they will be taken seriously, or do not know where to go for help".

New figures released as part of the Every Victim Matters campaign show men accounted for almost one-third of victims of domestic abuse crimes recorded during a 12-month period.

From April 2025 to March 2026, the PSNI recorded 5,817 domestic abuse crimes perpetrated against male victims.

These crimes had a sanction outcome rate of about 19%.

PSNI Detective Superintendent Kerry Brennan said officers had attended incidents and “stood in living rooms where the silence says more than any statement ever could”.

She said: “Men sitting there, shoulders hunched, eyes fixed on the floor — not because they’ve done something wrong, but because they’ve been made to feel they don’t deserve to be heard.

"Domestic abuse doesn’t wear one face, and it certainly doesn’t check your gender before it destroys your confidence, your safety, and your sense of self.

As officers, our job is to protect without prejudice. Abuse is abuse. It’s not a lesser crime because the victim is male, and it’s not something to be minimised or joked about.

“Every victim deserves dignity, support, and to know that the law stands firmly on their side.

“When we fail to recognise that, we don’t just fail individuals — we reinforce the very stigma that keeps people trapped.

“So I say this clearly: if you are a man experiencing domestic abuse, you are not weak, and you are not alone.

“Speaking up is not a failure of strength — it’s the first act of reclaiming it. Your voice matters just as much as anyone else’s. We will listen, and we will act.” 

The campaign highlights issues including coercive control, emotional abuse, and controlling behaviours, which are often less visible but equally harmful.

Rhonda Lusty, chief executive of the Men’s Advisory Project, which supports more than 1,000 men and boys affected by domestic abuse across Northern Ireland every year, welcomed the campaign.

“We know how difficult that first disclosure can be,” she said.

Many of the men who come through our doors have lived with abuse, coercive control, fear and isolation for a very long time before they tell anyone what is happening to them.

"Domestic abuse can happen to any man, at any age and from any background. It can happen within an intimate relationship or within a family.

“It is not always physical and it is not somehow less serious because the person experiencing it is male. The consequences can be life-changing and, tragically, they can be life-ending.

“Our message to any man experiencing abuse is very simple: what is happening to you matters. You can speak to the police and you can speak to us.

“The Men’s Advisory Project are specialists and we are here for you and your needs.”

- If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please click here for a list of support services.