Supporting Male Victims of Domestic Abuse Day #MenYouAreNotAlone

Press Release: Wednesday 2 November 2022

Charity launches “Supporting Male Victims of Domestic Abuse Day” to signpost male victims of domestic abuse to the support services where they live (#MenYouAreNotAlone)

The ManKind Initiative, in partnership with over 40 supporting organisations from across the UK (see Annex 1 for list) including the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, has launched the very first ‘Supporting Male Victims of Domestic Abuse Day’ on Wednesday 2 November 2022. The campaign has the slogan: MenYouAreNotAlone.

The aim is to encourage more men to contact their local police force and/or their local domestic abuse service, all of whom will help them to escape from domestic abuse. It also aims to encourage men’s friends, families and work colleagues to identify and support men they know who may be suffering abuse at the hands of a partner or other adult in their home.

One in every six to seven men¹ will become a victim of domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime with 757,000 being victims in 2019/20. However, only one in twenty victims accessing a local domestic abuse service is male². Over 40 organisations are supporting the day including charities, police forces, commissioners, legal organisations and other support services.

The charity, which supports male victims of domestic abuse, has asked organisations providing support services for men experiencing domestic abuse to publicise the help they have available in their local community. By collectively doing this on the day, in addition to other promotional campaigns they run through the year, it is hoped that it will amplify the message across the UK that there is support for men. The charity has also launched its own video to support the campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jpn5xPH9swk

The date is the first Wednesday after the autumn half term school holiday and after the clocks go back – which can be a time when men realise they need to do something about the domestic abuse they are suffering.

Mark Brooks OBE, Chair of the ManKind Initiative, said: “The campaign aims to increase the numbers of male victims using their local domestic abuse service or contacting the police by making them more aware of the support available. We hope this will also raise more general awareness amongst society and friends and family who often have a vital role to play in helping them to escape.

“Tens of thousands of men are suffering in silence and simply do not know where or who to turn to for help and guidance. They often do not even recognise what they are going through is domestic abuse until it is described to them. This is why it is important for local organisations and the police to publicise the support they have and be very clear that they will take them seriously.

“If we keep pushing the message that there is support, you are not weak, you are not to blame and you are not alone, then more men will come forward and receive the support they need. This will also include their children who are now covered by the new domestic abuse laws. This is why the message #MenYouAreNotAlone is so
important.”

Supporting Male Victims of Domestic Abuse Day 2022 is a collective and coordinated campaign by similar organisations across the UK. The campaign, which has the slogan #MenYouAreNotAlone, has been created and organised by the ManKind Initiative charity.

As well as a video for the campaign, a volunteer (Clive Lever) has produced a fundraising song call You’re Not Alone.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. ONS Domestic abuse: findings from the Crime Survey for England and Wales: year ending March 2020 (https://bit.ly/3sQLlJT -Table 1 and 2). The last figures available.
2. ONS Domestic abuse victim services, England and Wales: 2022 (https://bit.ly/3EwWlEQ- Table: 15a) – Clients accessing Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) services that use SafeLives’ Insights tool, by personal characteristics: 4.7% are male.
3. A campaign toolkit is now live on the ManKind Initiative website. Please click here to visit the page where you can find a full range of campaign resources
including social media graphics, logo, imagery and suggested posts, key messaging and hashtags.
4. For further information about the campaign please contact Mark Brooks OBE, Chair on 07834 452357 or email chairman@mankind.org.uk.
5. About the ManKind Initiative The ManKind Initiative (www.mankind.org.uk) is the leading national charity that runs a helpline providing practical information and emotional support for male victims of domestic abuse and domestic violence. The helpline number is 01823 334244 (weekdays 10am to 4pm) and relies on public donations. It also runs an accredited training course, a national conference and a national services directory.

Annex 1: Organisations Supporting Male Victims of Domestic Abuse Day
1) Domestic Abuse Commissioner
2) Kent Police and Crime Commissioner
3) Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner
4) Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner
5) Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner
6) Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner
7) Devon & Cornwall Police
8) Dorset Police
9) Suffolk Police
10) West Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing
11) Save Dave (Dads Unlimited)
12) EDAN Lincs
13) You Trust
14) Norda House
15) Survivors Manchester
16) Male Survivors Partnership
17) Alpha Vesta
18) PEGS
19) Safe in Sussex
20) NCDV
21) SODA
22) GMI Construction Group
23) Trauma Stop UK CIC
24) Calan Domestic Violence Services
25) Hestia
26) Cranstoun
27) Wokingham Borough Council
28) Paul Lavelle Foundation
29) JourneyMen
30) SafeNet
31) Aston University
32) DV Assist
33) FreeVa
34) Older People’s Commissioner for Wales
35) South Gloucestershire Council
36) Midlands Living CIC & Saif Social and Health Care Homes Ltd
37) Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service
38) Abused Men in Scotland
39) Cornwall Refuge Trust
40) Men’s Advisory Project (MAPNI)
41) Freedom Domestic Abuse Service
42) Norda House Project
43) Trafford Domestic Abuse Service
44) Maidstone Council
45) Behind Closed Doors
46) Gasped
47) The Saturn Centre (Sussex – Sexual Assault Referral Centre)