19 th may 2011 toni mclean 0409 599 887 are men really victims of intimate partner violence? toni...

19th May 2011Toni McLean0409 599 887

www.thinktwiceprogram.net

Are men really victims of intimate partner violence?

Toni McLean

Think Twice! ProgramsFor Relationship Abuse Prevention & Recovery

TT

Meeting the needs of victims of crime conference

Sydney, 18th-19th May, 2011



Domestic or Family Violence?

• Domestic violence male-perpetrated intimate partner violence

• Family (or domestic) violence includes:– Partner abuse– Child abuse– Parent abuse– Elder abuse– Sibling abuse ...



Background in IPV

• NGO: couples counselling + groups for DV victims and offenders:

– Couples and individual counselling – Facilitated groups for women victims of partner violence

• Community Offender Services, Corrective Services NSW– Case management of P & Pclients, including PV offenders– Delivered domestic abuse programs for male offenders– Involved in subsequent refinement of the program

• Developed own group program for male IPV offenders delivered in my private practice



Currently ...

• Undertaking Ph.D. in School of Psychology, UWS: “How do counsellors respond to clients who present with intimate partner abuse?”

• Private counsellor with a focus on partner violence– Working with victims, offenders, and couples



Objectives

The purpose of my presentation is to simply make the case that:

• there are male victims of partner violence

• they (and their children) are present in sufficient numbers to be worthy of attention and services specifically for them

• men aren’t only assaulted in self-defence or in retaliation for their own behaviour

• they do suffer a range of physical and psychological injuries that can be serious



This presentation will…

• Show evidence for victimisation of husbands by wives for hundreds of years – this is no backlash

• Point out the massive variability in partner violence statistics

• Explain how contradictory and confusing pictures of partner victimisation have arisen

• Consider why male victims have been somewhat invisible for the last 40 years



Backlash … or nothing new?

“..She bang'd him, she bang'd him

For spending a penny

when he stood in need.

She up with a three footed stool;

She struck him so hard, and she cut so deep,

That blood ran down like a new stuck sheep.“

~ Strype and Lupton (1580). Too good to be true.

In George, M. (2002). Skimmington Revisited. Journal of Men’s Studies, 10(2).



The documented history of husband abuse (1)

From the 13th century onwards:• parish records• court records• contemporary chronicles• diaries• letters• newspapers, as well as in • literature and art

All provide extensive evidence for male victimisation by female partners



English Church stone carving ~ 1200CE: A woman holding a man by his hair and beating

him with a cheese-skimming ladle

With permission of: George, M.J. (2002). Skimmington Revisited. The Journal of Men’s Studies, 10(1), 111-136.



Frieze at Montacute House, Somerset: Husband, holding a baby, being hit by his wife;

husband being ridden on a “cowl staffe”

With permission of: George, M.J. (2002). Skimmington Revisited. The Journal of Men’s Studies, 10(1), 111-136.




• Early 1600s. County and court records detail many cases of violent women, eg: Wilts Quarter Session Records, Hon Sir John Hungerford, JP, skimmington used to shame both beaten husbands and husband beaters

• Historical records just prior to English Civil War (1642–46), showed considerable anxiety over the extent of violence by women

• In the US: New colony of Massachusetts - violence by husband and wife proscribed in statutes. Wives and husbands accused at similar rates.

– ‘‘... so turbulent and wild, both in words and actions, as he could not live with her but in danger of his life and limb.’’ (Plymouth Colony Records V29 in Demos 1970)

• 1882 Wife Beater Act (Eng) outlawed wife abuse, cases of battered husbands also cited, including requests for the equivalent of modern restraining orders against wives.




• Ingram,1984, cites many literary and artistic examples circa 1635.

• Butlers 'Hudibras' (1664) contains reference to a skimmington.

• Jonathan Swift – poem about a patient husband – “A Quiet Life And A Good Name”.

• In ‘‘Oliver Twist,’’ Mr. Bumble, when told it was his duty to control his wife, said: ‘‘The law is an ass. The law is a bachelor.’’

• The Fortunes of Nigel (1822) by Sir Walter Scott, set circa 1616-25.

• The diarist Pepys also made mention of the practice.

• Ben Johnson's works refer to skimmington processions of battered men.

• Hardy refers to skimmington in 'The Mayor of Casterbridge’, 19th C.



Dawes painting: 'The Hen Peckt Husband’ ... and his punishment

Denial and trivialization of battered husbands has marked the period since Straus, Steinmetz and others reported on them in the 1970s.



From derision to denial

• From 1500s onwards (at least): Male victims of wife abuse derided – evidence in literature

• From 1800s (at least): Growth of legislation outlawing wife abuse

• Late 20th century: Public spotlight on wife abuse

– And male victims of wife abuse trivialised or denied

• Maintained by stereotypes of large, aggressive husband and small, meek wife

Both derision and denial may be ways society has to avoid an ‘inconvenient truth’.



Examples of the range of partner violence statistics

Perpetrator

Male FemaleSanta Barbara, CA, Police, 1983 94% 6%

New Zealand, young adults, 2002 39% 61%

Australia, newlyweds, 2009 Approximately equal

(Halford)

Best population-based studies show that 25%- 50% of all PV victims in a given year are men.



Why discrepancies in statistics?

• Different kinds of studies or surveys

• Different sample populations

• Different methodologies

• Different theoretical frameworks and contexts– Different questions asked / not asked

– Different meanings / categorisations etc

– Different language / vocabulary used



Different kinds of studies or surveys

• Samples drawn from developing as well as developed nations

• Many developing nations often included are war torn nations - bias

• Combined statistics not appropriate for developed nations but used nonetheless to make the case

• Typically focus on female victims of any male-perpetrated violence

United Nations surveys

Result in distortion favouring male-perpetrated violence



Different kinds of studies or surveys (2)

• Samples often include only women from shelters, and police and other criminal records

• Women victims not asked about their own use of violence or abuse

• Men not asked about any experience of victimisation

• For a long time women weren’t arrested for partner violence

National crime agency

surveys

Only draws on reported partner violence bias against men




National victimisation

surveys

• Respondents mightn’t see partner abuse as a crime

• Men in particular don’t see it as a crime if they are not injured

• If survey conceptualises it as a crime, women are less likely to report committing partner abuse

• Questions usually asked within a context of male perpetrator-female victim

Based on perception of being a victim – again bias against men




Family conflict surveys &

Community studies

• Tend to occur within relationship conflict framework

• Investigate situational violence as well

• Don’t use words like “violence”, crime”, “assault”

• But refer to same behaviours as criminal surveys

Better reflects what is happening in relationships; shows female and bilateral violence



What kinds of injuries do men receive?

Injuries resulting from:• being hit by blunt instruments, household

ornaments, broom etc• having objects thrown at them• being struck with a vehicle• being bitten• the use of an ‘actual’ weapon, eg a knife• scalding by boiling water or hot food



Why do women assault their partners?

• Control• in response to partner’s efforts to control • to control partner to do what she wants

• Expression of negative emotions (eg angry, hurt, frustrated, to punish)• use more physical and psychological aggression

• Jealousy• commit more coercive controlling behaviour and physical aggression

• Self-defence• use high levels of physical aggression; also show high levels of

victimisation• Tough guise

• appear tough and intimidating to be taken seriously or as a coping mechanism

• use high levels of psychological and physical aggression



Which women are most violent?

• Those who didn’t report self-defence as a motive use higher levels of physical violence and tend to initiate aggression

• Highest levels of physical violence by women who are primarily victims and women who are the primary aggressors (Caldwell et al 2009)



How is it that there is so little research on male victims? (1)

• Initial focus on women victims– Difficult to focus on male victims at the same time

• Women not asked about their own use of violence• Men not asked about their experience of victimisation• Because male victimisation was hidden, it didn’t

stimulate further research• Effective public campaigns raising awareness of female

victimisation• Discouraged (see Straus’s references)• Fear of having to share funding with men’s services

How is it that there is so little research on male victims? (2)

• Media focus on sensational crimes by men against women

• Stereotypes: men use violence because they’re bigger; women wouldn’t assault a man because he’s bigger

• Tendency to ridicule male victims of women’s assaults• Politically incorrect to acknowledge male victims of

female-perpetrated violence fear of discussing• Fear of getting it wrong

19th May 2011 Toni McLean0409 599 887




Implications of ignoring male victims of female-perpetrated partner violence

• Physical and psychological impact on men who are victimised – including suicide and self-harm + associated cost to the community

• Impact on the children in these relationships• Service providers don’t know / learn how to respond appropriately

to male victims• Building resentment in male victims who are ignored• More difficult for women using abusive behaviour to seek help • Women who use violence for whatever reason are more likely to

suffer significant injury in retaliation from their male partners • Services don’t know how to respond to female offenders• Women are at risk of further violence in future relationships



Beyond the paradigm ...

Responding ... requires we recognise their existence.

For male victims of partner violence, have to move beyond the paradigm that has prevailed for 40 years ... served to minimise or deny their existence, thus compromising our ability to respond to them.

The fact that [some] ... are so unwilling to accept the ... assault of men by women stems ... from the deep and profoundly disturbing challenge ... to long cherished male and female stereotypes.’’ (George, 2003)

Don’t take my word for it ...

A small bibliography follows for those who want to read more.

Don’t just take my word for it – read the literature for yourself. You will see that:

• there are male victims of partner violence

• they (and their children) are prevalent enough to be worthy of services specifically for them

• men aren’t only assaulted in self-defence or in retaliation for their own behaviour

• they do suffer a range of physical and psychological injuries that can be serious





General References

• Hamel, J. (2010). Do we want to be politically correct, or do we want to reduce partner violence in our communities? Partner Abuse, 1(1), 82-91.

• Cook, P. W. (2009). Abused men: The hidden side of domestic violence. Westport, CT: Praeger.

• Straus, M.A. (2008). Bucking the tide in family violence research. Trauma, Violence and Abuse, 9(4), 191-213.

• McNeely, R. et al. (2001). Is domestic violence a gender issue, or a human issue? Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 4, 227–251.

• Mihalic, S.W. et al (1997). If violence is domestic, does it really count? Journal of Family Violence,12, 293-311.

• McNeely, R. et al. (1987). The truth about domestic violence: a falsely framed issue. Social Work, (Nov-Dec), 485-485-490.

• Fiebert, M.S. (2008). References examining assaults by women on their spouses or male partners: an annotated bibliography.

Historical references for male victimisation

• George, M.J. (1994). Riding the donkey backwards: Men as the unacceptable victims of marital violence. The Journal of Men’s Studies, 3(2) 137-159.

• George, M.J. (2002). Skimmington Revisited. The Journal of Men’s Studies, 10(1), 111-136.

• George, M.J. (2003). Invisible touch. Aggression and Violent Behaviour, 8, 23-60.

[George also provides a good analysis of the phenomenon of deriding and minimising men as victims.]

• Kelly, H.A. (1994). Rule of thumb and the folklore of the husband’s stick. Jnl of Legal Education, 44(3), 341-365. [A well researched debunking of the perpetuated myth that a man had the legal right to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb.]



Recent references on prevalence of male victimisation

• ABS Personal Safety Survey 2005.

• Steinmetz, S. (1977-78). The battered husband syndrome. Victimology. An international journal, 2(3-4), 499-509.

• Straus, M. (1988). Violence in American families: How much is there and why does it occur? In Nunnally et al, Troubled Relationships.

Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

• Straus, M.A. (2007). Dominance and symmetry in partner violence by male and female university students in 32 nations. Children & Youth

Services Review, 30, 252-275.

• Halford, W.K. et al. (2010). Relationship aggression, violence and self-regulation in Australian newlywed couples. Australian Jnl of Psychology, 62 (2), 82-92.

• Bala, N. An historical perspective on family and child abuse: Comment on Moloney et al, Allegations of Family Violence, 12 June 2007. Jnl

Family Studies, 14(2), 271-78.



References on how and why male victimisation is difficult to see

• Detschelt, A. (2002-03). Recognizing domestic violence directed towards men. Jnl Legal & Public Policy, 249-272.

• Graham-Kevan, N. (2007). The re-emergence of male victims. International Journal of Men’s Health, 6(1), 3-6.

• Straus, M.A. (2007). Dominance and symmetry in partner violence by male and female university students in 32 nations. Children and Youth

Services Review, 30, 252-275.

• Straus, M.A. (2007). Processes explaining the concealment and distortion of evidence on gender symmetry in partner violence. European Journal of Criminal Policy Research, 13, 227-232.

• Straus, M.A. (2009). Why the overwhelming evidence on partner physical violence by women has not been perceived and is often denied. Jnl Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 18(6), 552-571.

[Read the 3 Straus papers in this order as he systematically explains: 1) the evidence of concealment of male statistics 2) the methods / processes used; 3) the reasons why.]



References on male injuries

• Hines, D.A. (2007) Posttraumatic stress symptoms among men who sustain partner violence: An international multisite study of

university students. Psychol of Men & Masculinity, 8(4), 225-239.• Kimberg, L. (2008). Addressing intimate partner violence with male

patients: A review and introduction of pilot guidelines. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 23(2), 2071-78.

• Dalsheimer, J. (1998). Battered men. A silent epidemic. Topics in Emergency Medicine, 20(4), 52-59.

• Duminy, F.J. et al. (1993). Assault inflicted by hot water. Burns, 19(5), 426-438.

• Krob, M.J. et al. (1986). Burned and battered adults. 18th Annual Meeting American Burns Assoc.



References on female violence

• Allen-Collinson, J. (2009) A Marked Man: Female-Perpetrated Intimate Partner Abuse. Internat. Jnl Men’s Health, 8(1), 22-40.

• Caldwell, J.E. et al (2009). Why I hit him: Women's reasons for intimate partner violence. Journal of Aggression, Mal- treatment & Trauma, 18, 672-697.

• Hines, D.A. et al (2009). Women’s use of intimate partner violence against men: Prevalence, implications, and consequences. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 18(6), 572-586.

• Hamel, J. et al, (2007). Perceptions of motives in intimate partner violence: Expressive versus coercive violence. Violence and Victims, 22(5), 563-576.

• Hines, D. A., & Douglas, E. M. (2010). Intimate terrorism by women towards men: Does it exist? Journal of Aggression, Conflict, and Peace Research.



19 th may 2011 toni mclean 0409 599 887 are men really victims of intimate partner violence? toni...

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