Violence against men in a partner relationship: A pilot study

Abstract

Violence in the family has been a frequently discussed topic in the scientific discourse in the last two decades. Thanks to this, today, we have at our disposal a significant body of scientific knowledge, legislative solutions, and practical policies that focus on preventing and protecting victims of violence. However, we do not notice some among the victims of domestic violence. Hereof, our knowledge about the etiology and phenomenology of violence against men is insufficient. Our study represents a small step forward in researching the phenomenology of this phenomenon. We aimed to describe characteristics of violence against men through personal stories and from the perspective of both partners. We used documentary material in the analysis - official records of centers for social work in the territory of the city of Belgrade. Analysis showed that violence against men in a partner relationship is most often recognized by the center's professional workers as mutual. The prosecution of the abuser, except in the case of her partner's life being threatened, is rarely the outcome of the assessment process. The impression is that partner violence against men is seen as an exception rather than the rule. However, the victimization of men in a partner relationship is not such a rare phenomenon, so it is necessary to undertake a research effort to shed light on this dark field and to design prevention strategies and practices aimed at protecting men - victims and helping women - bullies.