One in five people who report domestic abuse in Dorset are men

Domestic abuse charity the ManKind Initiative described the numbers as “shocking but welcome”, saying they show that men feel increasingly able to come forward and report abuse.

A freedom of information request submitted by the charity showed that 1,970 men reported being a victim of domestic abuse to Dorset Police in 2017.

In total, 9,926 domestic abuse crimes and incidents were reported to police, with men the victims in 20 per cent of those in which gender was recorded.

There were 500 more domestic abuse crimes or incidents where men were the victim in 2017 compared to 2012.

In 2012 there were a total of 8,213 reported incidents, and in 1,468 cases - 18 per cent - the victim was male.

Detective Chief Inspector Gavin Dudfield said: “We know that domestic abuse can affect both male and female victims and likewise, perpetrators can be either male or female. Men, however, are known to be even less likely to tell anyone if they are a victim of such abuse.

“Dorset Police continues to work closely with partners to encourage reporting through awareness raising campaigns and by speaking directly to survivors of domestic abuse.

“We know that male victims often find it hard to report abuse and think they won’t be believed - but they should be reassured that all officers are trained to deal with domestic abuse and take all reports seriously.

“Along with our own experienced and specially-trained officers who investigate these offences, we also work in close partnership with other support agencies who can offer support, advice and guidance. Dorset Police strongly encourages anybody experiencing any form of domestic abuse to report it and seek help.”

While domestic abuse can be violent, the definition can include any controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour. It includes psychological, physical, sexual, financial and emotional abuse.

Across the 41 of England and Wales's 43 police forces who provided numbers for 2017, 159,000 men reported being victims of domestic abuse – one in every four cases.

Mark Brooks, chairman of the ManKind Initiative, said: “These figures are both shocking yet welcome. They show the level of domestic abuse against men and the growing confidence they have in coming forward.

“Friends, family and work colleagues are also playing a key part in supporting them and many police forces are actively encouraging men to report.

“These figures should act as a spur for even more men to reach out, as many feel they are the only man in the world this has ever happened to and they suffer in silence behind their front door. They now know they are not alone.”

The charity believes there needs to be more done to fund and support domestic abuse services, for both male and female victims. But with just 20 of the country’s 3,600 refuge beds reserved for men – 0.8% of the total stock – they feel assumptions about domestic abuse are still to be broken down.

Mr Brooks continued: “Society as a whole is taking a more modern and inclusive view of domestic abuse – increasingly realising that domestic abuse is a crime against women and men in heterosexual and same-sex relationships.

“More always needs to be done to challenge stereotypes as we still see some people not taking domestic abuse as seriously as they should when a man is a victim, but we are moving in the right direction.”