Something that still surprises individuals when we do outreach presentations is the statistics around the number of men who suffer the trauma of domestic abuse, domestic violence and sexual violence. Nationally, the statistics are that one in seven men will be involved in an abusive relationship, and one in six will suffer sexual assault. While lower than the statistics for women, these are still significant numbers and probably low, considering the stigma a man faces upon reaching out for help.
Of the adults we served last year, 13% were men and 95% of them received support from our Court Advocacy team, obtaining help with their protection order filings and 14-day hearings. They also learned about the other services available to them, like safety planning, counseling and case management. Given our name, Women’s and Children’s Alliance, many do not think of us as offering services for men. This is something we are working hard to overcome. It’s the reason why you see us refer to ourselves more and more as the “WCA” and why we have refreshed our logo to do the same.
During 2020, 47% of our shelter residents were male children. While they came into the shelter with their moms, many of them witnessed abuse in the home and often may have also been on the receiving end themselves – even if they don’t initially disclose. As a result, we may not always think of them as survivors. However, more and more research shows that children who witness abuse, even if not subjected to it, find themselves continuing the cycle by either abusing others or getting into abusive relationships.
During this month of focusing on men’s health, raising awareness of the long-term implications of trauma on a man’s health due to being raised in an abusive household, or being the direct recipient of abuse, is essential. If you know a man who needs support for current or past trauma they have suffered – please share our hotline number 208-343-7025. We are here for them 24/7. There is help, and there is hope.
Thank you for all you do,
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