Future Living is approached by a local radio station to give an interview on the topic of male victims of domestic abuse.  This was in conjunction with Mankind’s Supporting Male Victims of Domestic Abuse Day 2022.   Planet Radio conducted the interview to highlight the hashtag used as part of the campaign #MenYouAreNotAlone.

How does Future Living support men?

Future living is one of the few services in Hertfordshire that offers support to male victims of domestic abuse.  See the link to our website page: https://www.futurelivinghertford.co.uk/wise-guys/                     

We recognise that it can happen to anyone of any sex, but men are often seen as the abuser.  Future Living has supported men within our service for many years, and  we can safely say, men are victims too. 

What is Mankind initiative? 

Mankind Initiative is a charity which focuses solely on male victims of domestic abuse. They work with partnerships and organisations to ensure that men can access local services.

Mark Brooks OBE, Chair of the Initiative, said: “The campaign aims to increase the numbers of male victims using their local domestic abuse service or contacting the police.   We want to make men more aware of the support available.’’

The interview…

Our DA Lead, Sarah Cowen was interviewed by Hits Radio. Sarah stated: “Men don’t always recognise themselves as  victims of abuse because it might not be physical.   It is an immediate reaction from men that it’s not abuse.  It is equally important therefore  to remember the content of the new Domestic Abuse Act 2021.  The Act states that it can, and often is,  emotional, financial, sexual abuse, or coercive control.”

The  male stereotype…

Men find it hard to come forward for help because they feel embarrassed and worried that they won’t be believed:  Coupled with the fact that they don’t fit the male stereotype if they label themselves as victims.  Male feedback along with our client experiences suggests they are treated as the perpetrator rather than the victim by police.”  If anyone has to spend the night in a cell to de-escalate a situation, its usually assumed it will be the man. This is regardless of whether he is the perpetrator or victim.

Full interview…

You can read the interview in full here: https://planetradio.co.uk/greatest-hits/beds-bucks-herts/news/herts-charity-urges-male-domestic-abuse-victims-to-seek-help/ 

Our gratitude…

We would like to thank Charlotte from Hits Radio for contacting us. It was a pleasure to speak about something we are so passionate about.

We really appreciate initiatives like this.  Anything which encourages removing the stigma which surrounds men accessing the support they so desperately need, gets our full respect and support.