Male Victims Of Domestic Violence
When the average person thinks of a crime of domestic violence, they are likely to imagine a male victimizing a female. However, men do experience domestic violence, and if a man is not aware of that, it can cause real mental and physical harm to them, placing them in a situation they may feel unable to flee. If you have been involved in a domestic dispute with a man, you may labor under the stereotype that you have not committed an act of domestic violence because your victim is not female, when this is patently not the case.
Many Men Do Not Report
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that around 2 in 5 U.S. men have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) at some point in their lives, while around 1 in 3 men have experienced some kind of “sexual contact violence.” This is generally a lesser percentage than women, but it is instructive to keep in mind, given that statistics also show that many men do not report their experiences with domestic violence.
There are several reasons that men do not report these offenses, but many have to do with shame or fear. Stereotypical ideas of ‘masculinity’ do not include being the victim of a domestic violence offense, and it is sadly not uncommon for male victims to be seen as weak or feminized. This goes double for men who are victimized by other men; lingering law enforcement attitudes about homophobia lead the LGBTQ+ community to not want to report violence or coercive control.
Potential Defenses Are The Same
If you have been charged with domestic violence against a male victim, understand that ideally, nothing should be different about your case than if you had allegedly committed the same offense against a female victim. However, this also means that many of the same defenses will apply. For example, if both of you engaged in mutual combat, or if you were defending yourself from the ‘victim’s’ aggression, these may mitigate the charges, or at least the sentence if you are convicted.
Keep in mind that in Florida, the definition of ‘domestic violence’ is wider than the stereotypical perception of the crime. Any criminal offense “resulting in physical injury or death” to a victim who fits into a particular class of people qualifies, meaning that an altercation with, say, a male roommate may qualify as domestic violence even if there is no romantic or sexual relationship between you.
Contact A West Palm Beach Domestic Violence Attorney
Victims of domestic violence deserve justice, regardless of gender. A West Palm Beach criminal defense attorney from Perlet & Shiner, P.A. can help protect your rights and ensure you get your day in court. Contact our office at (561) 721-0552 today to speak to an attorney.
Source:
cdc.gov/nisvs/documentation/index.html
