Abused men: a reality that almost no one talks about

Abused men are an obvious reality, although very little visible. There is almost no data or information about these types of situations. What happens when a man is mistreated?

In 2004, the Organic Law on Comprehensive Protection Measures against Gender Violence in Spain was approved. This law marked a before and after in the justice system of our country: from this moment on, the term gender violence as a type of aggression by men towards women. But does this law reflect all possible realities? How is it related to cases of abused men?

According to current legislation, mistreatment of women is punished much more severely than the abuse of men. This is because there are certain social norms in our country that make women susceptible to physical and psychological harm just because they are women.

However, What then happens to abused men? The cases that exist are barely visible and, furthermore, the penalties are less severe against those who attack them. Thus, many people consider that we are in a situation of injustice at a legal level. In this article we will see some of the most important keys regarding this matter.

But do abused men really exist?

Many people believe that partner abuse only occurs unidirectionally against women. However, in Spain there are numerous associations that are responsible for making visible a very different reality: abused men.

In fact, these associations defend the idea that the The use of physical and emotional violence occurs almost equally between the two sexes, regardless of the direction of the abuse.

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Depending on the sources we consult, between 25% and 40% of complaints of abuse are made by men; The difference in the number of complaints based on sex, therefore, is not as great as one might think. However, We constantly hear about situations in which women are abused..

The term domestic violence is what encompasses this type of abuse, which is exercised through physical attacks, insults and continuous disqualifications towards men.

Why is there a lack of visibility

There is an evident lack of information about the problems of abused men. This is due to a set of factors, among which are:

Lack of credibility. Many men who decide to report abuse are met with disbelief on the part of the authorities.Shame. Some men tend to think that asking for help makes them weaker. Furthermore, others may feel ashamed and hurt in their manhood by being mistreated.Clash against the current narrative. Even when complaints are filed and cases of abuse towards men are recorded, the majority of public opinion is largely unaware of this reality. This is due to the psychological phenomenon known as cognitive dissonance. Because we believe that only women can be abused, we simply refuse to look at the contradictory evidence that this may not always be the case.Legal differences. The Gender Violence Law blames men for the fact of being men. Therefore, just by registering a complaint, the abused men They directly become part of the lists of violent crimes. There is no separate category that covers this very problematic reality.Lack of support. There are many resources to assist abused women; However, abused men hardly have associations or organizations to which they can turn.

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Consequences of abuse towards men

Most of the time, domestic violence against men does not usually result in fatalities. However, Yes, many serious problems can appear in the abused man.such as an increase in the chances of developing a mental disorder.

Among other conditions, these men usually end up suffering psychological problems such as depression or anxiety.

In less serious cases, men who suffer violence at the hands of their partners suffer a great loss of self-esteem. This, in addition to making them develop a negative mood, It affects the way you live from that moment on.

As mentioned, psychological abuse does not usually cause fatalities, but it can cause significant social, academic or work deterioration in the affected person. This results in a serious deterioration in quality of life.

At the opposite extreme, the most serious cases of abused men can end in suicide; In fact, suicide has a higher incidence rate in abused men than in abused women.

Domestic violence, without a doubt, can precipitate situations that lead to possible suicide. And this does nothing but add gravity to the need to effectively address this problem.

Protecting women is essential in any civilized society. However, Doing so should not come at the expense of protecting the male sex as well.. Although their suffering is different, men also have the right to be made visible and to work towards the eradication of abuse towards them.