Estimates from the National Family Violence Surveys (Straus & Gelles, 1990) show that within a given year, 12% of men sustain physical aggression from their intimate female partners and 4% of the male population is severely assaulted by their partners. In addition, men who sustain intimate partner violence (IPV) account for 40% of all injuries due to IPV, 38% of all victims who lose time from work, and 31% of all victims who fear bodily harm (calculated from the National Violence Against Women Survey, Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). Preliminary research shows men who sustain IPV are likely to have mental health problems, including depression, stress, and psychosomatic symptoms. Thus, IPV against men can be considered a significant health problem in this country, but no study has yet systemically investigated the experiences of men who seek help for IPV victimization. That is, we know little about the predictors of IPV against male help-seekers, the dynamics of their intimate partner relationships, or the mental health concerns of men who sustain IPV and seek help. In addition, because IPV against men is not well recognized, some men who seek help report experiencing institutional barriers to receiving assistance, which could exacerbate any pre-existing mental health problems. In this study, we take a preliminary step toward closing these gaps in the family violence research by interviewing a national sample of 500 men who are seeking assistance from a helpline specializing in male IPV victimization and a population-based national sample of 500 men.
The specific aims of this project are to: (1) describe the experiences of men who sustain IPV and seek help; (2) compare their experiences and mental health concerns with those of men from a population-based sample; (3) test the coercive control theory as it applies to IPV against men; (4) investigate the physical and mental health status, including PTSD and alcohol/substance abuse, of men who sustain IPV and seek help; and (5) describe potential institutional barriers to men who sustain IPV and seek help, as well as any potential associations between the experience of these barriers and mental health. - PHS Agency Application Relevance to Public Health The National Violence Against Women Survey showed that intimate partner violence (IPV) by women against men accounts for 40% of all injuries due to IPV during a one-year time period, 27% of all injuries requiring medical attention, and 31% of all victims who fear bodily harm. There is evidence that IPV sustained by men is associated with various physical and mental health problems in men, such as physical injuries, depression, stress, psychosomatic symptoms, and general psychological distress. Thus, IPV against men, like other forms of family violence, can be considered a significant public health and mental health problem in this country; however, in order to effectively treat and prevent all types of family violence, researchers, service providers, and public and mental health practitioners must learn more about IPV against men. ? ? ?
