I work in a Domestic Violene program, and I can tell you for a fact that the majority of domestic violence cases are still men abusing women. There are cases where women are abusers, children are abusers, parents are abusers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, even "just friends". I challenge anyone to do a legitimate study and you won't find less than 90% where men are the abusers in reported domestic violence cases.
Men get abused, too. They just don't report it, nor do they typically file charges against women. (Men find it embarrassing to be beat up by a woman). Also, most places the police can't or won't do anything unless there are charges files. About the woman who was let out of jail to only stab and kill her husband, I don't know the case, but I can only imagine there's more to it than what's being posted here.
Oh, by the way, I am one of the few men in any Domestic Violence program, and I am very conservative politically. I'm just irritated that the posts here are slamming this problem of domestic violence as only a "liberal" cause, when I see the tragic truth walk through my door day after day. This problem doesn't discriminate no matter what you believe politically or religiously, and unfortunately crosses all the spectrums.
Or, I suppose you could insinuate to them that there must be "something more to the story."
Just out of curiosity, do you share that skepticism with women who claim to be domestic violence victims that come to your program for help? Or is that suspicion reserved only for men?
I can also cite from my personal experience specific examples where time and time again men have been turned away from domestic violence programs because of their gender.
A "legitimate study" that shows "more than 10%" of domestic violence victims are men? You could start with Gelles and Straus' study which found about a third of domestic violence victims are men (I assume, of course, you are familiar with the Gelles/Straus work). The 1998 National Violence against Women report show men to be about a third of domestic violence victims.
Actually, I have a list somewhere of over a hundred "legitimate" studies that show men to be between a third and more than a half of domestic violence victims - do you want me to post the list?
RE: reported domestic violence cases
And here is a factor biasing your data. How many men will report a case vs women reporting cases?
"I work in a Domestic Violene program, and I can tell you for a fact that the majority of domestic violence cases are still men abusing women."
I work in a Domestic Violence program also and I am wondering why this particular information above is almost ALWAYS the first response when someone mentions male victims. If you are truly against domestic violence then this sound byte is unnecessary. What does it matter what gender the majority of victims are? If ONE PERSON is being abused then that ONE PERSON should be able to access the full compliment of services available.
" This problem doesn't discriminate no matter what you believe politically or religiously, and unfortunately crosses all the spectrums."
You are so right! This enigma on society does not discriminate but many who work in the field protecting victims do. And I can say that with complete authority. I am very grateful for those who do offer "need based" vs "gender based." All domestic violence programs should be need based. Did you know that there are shelter programs in the USA that house both female and male victims in their shelters? It's true. They have mixed gender support groups also. Many say it can't or shouldn't be done but it's happening and it's been working for these programs for up to a decade.
It's time that the other programs follow suit and protect all victims.