Shame and fear of false accusations deter male victims of intimate partner violence from seeking help
Why do male victims of domestic abuse often suffer in silence? New research details how shame, fear of being blamed, and distinct cultural barriers discourage Black, Latino, and White men from seeking support for intimate partner violence.
Men who experience abuse from female partners confront a variety of obstacles when seeking help, with the specific challenges they encounter often depending on their racial and ethnic backgrounds. Research published in Psychology of Men & Masculinities explores how factors like shame, fear of false accusations, and institutional bias impact the decisions of Black, Latino, and White men who have been victims of intimate partner violence.
The study, led by Lyric N. Russo of George Mason University, surveyed 1,194 men in the United States between the ages of 18 and 59, with 596 Latino men, 299 non-Latino Black men, and 299 non-Latino White men. All participants reported experiencing aggressive, controlling, or coercive behavior from a female romantic partner at some point in their lives.
Using a 17-item scale and open-ended questions, the men identified their reasons for not seeking help, with nearly half reporting feelings of shame or embarrassment. Additionally, concerns about being falsely accused or blamed, as well as doubts about the effectiveness of available resources, were common. When examining racial and ethnic differences, Latino men faced more barriers overall, particularly in disclosing their experiences and addressing concerns about bringing shame or dishonor to their families.
They also expressed more worries about language difficulties, immigration status, and their partners preventing them from seeking help. Black men were less likely to be concerned about others not believing them or facing bias due to societal stereotypes about Black women, but still expressed a lower degree of concern compared to Latino and White men.
White men faced unique challenges, such as difficulty recognizing their experiences as abuse and interpreting harmful actions as normal relationship conflict due to traditional gender norms emphasizing toughness and self-reliance. The study's limitations include its reliance on self-reported surveys, the non-representative sample, and the inability to track changes over time.
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