Domestic Abuse Against Men on the Rise Amid Pandemic

Reports that domestic abuse has been a growing problem amid the coronavirus pandemic have been widespread since lockdowns began months ago. Typically, coverage has focused on the growing threat of domestic abuse against women, but instances of abuse involving male victims are reportedly on the rise in some places as well.

The U.K.-based organization Respect reports their men’s helpline has seen a dramatic increase in calls from male domestic abuse victims seeking help since lockdowns began, BBC reports. The organization said it received 13,812 calls and emails from men seeking help between April and July this year, compared to just 8,648 over the same period in 2019.

“It was absolutely clear the lockdown period exacerbated everyone’s domestic abuse experiences,” Respect’s Ippo Panteloudakis said. “They were talking about increases in violence, increases in psychological abuse and becoming homeless as a result of the domestic abuse and not having anywhere to go.”

The helpline said the biggest increase in requests for help came by email, with the organization reporting a 96 percent increase in the volume of emails from men seeking help in June 2020 from the previous year. On average, the organization was reportedly receiving 22 emails and 92 phone calls a day between April and June during lockdown.

Meanwhile, the U.K.’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline reportedly received 40,000 calls in the first three months of lockdown, largely from women. In the United States, organizations have also reported an increase in calls from domestic abuse victims, while Katie Ray-Jones, chief executive of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, told the New York Times she feared an increase in the intensity and violence of individual domestic abuse cases, as well.