Friday, September 16, 2011

28% rise in men phoning abuse charity

THERE has been a sharp increase in the number of male victims of domestic abuse coming forward seeking help, a report shows.

Amen, the charity set up to help men abused in their own homes, said it has seen a 28% increase in the number of men contacting it seeking advice and help after being abused by their wives, partners or girlfriends.

In its annual report for 2010, published yesterday, the Navan-based charity said 4,683 people contacted it last year, usually by phone, compared with 3,644 in 2009.

January and October were the busiest times with about 600 contacts being made to charity during these two months.

The annual report also shows there were 1,378 unanswered calls made to it last year as they were made after hours and the charity cannot afford a 24-hour helpline.

Some 38% of those who came forward said they were suffering psychological abuse, while 36.5% said they suffered regular verbal abuse. 

One quarter of men said they were suffering physical abuse while 0.5% said they were sexually abused by their wife or partner.

Amen said most victims suffer more than one form of abuse and as a result they experience isolation within their own family.

"Men contacting the Amen helpline report physical, emotional, psychological and sexual abuse encountered at the hands of their female partners."

The forms of abuse being reported by men include:

* Physical: Stabbings, black eyes, kicking, biting, cigarette burns, pulling out tufts of hair.

* Verbal or psychological: Not allowing him to see his family/friends, hiding his car keys, listening to phone calls, following him, accusing him of having affairs, publicly humiliating him.

* Financial: Control of household finances, demanding his wages after he receives them, control of joint bank account, not contributing to household expenditure.

Some 40% of those who contact the group refuse to say what part of the country they are from. 

However, 34% of those getting in touch come from the Dublin/North East area. Some 11% are from the South, with 8% from Dublin-Mid Leinster and 7% from the West.

Nearly all contacts were made through the helpline on 046 9023718, which operates from 9am-5pm weekdays.

An emergency helpline operates until 9pm on weekdays and weekends.