Fathers & Families Executive Director Glenn Sacks was interviewed by NBC Louisiana affiliate KPLC on the subject of male victims of domestic violence on June 8. To watch the report, click here. To read KPLC’s Brandon Richards’ news article, see Men are victims of domestic violence too (6/8/10). According to the report::
When police respond to a domestic dispute between a man and a woman, chances are the woman is the victim. But that’s not always the case. “Research shows that about a third of all domestic violence injuries are sustained by men, so it is a significant problem,” says Fathers & Families Executive Director Glenn Sacks. “The research has been clear on this for 35 years, that women are at least as likely and to some degree more likely, to initiate domestic violence than men are.” Sacks said the legal system is no help to abused men either. He said men who experience abuse are not likely to report it because they fear they will be perceived as the abuser by police and arrested. He also said abused men who are fathers don’t want to risk losing or leaving their kids with an abusive mother. “Let’s say you’re a father, you’re married, have two kids and your wife is abusing you,” explains Sacks. “Well, if you take off and leave then you’re leaving your kids in the sole custody of an abusive, violent woman.” Sacks said the problems are only going to grow worse for men until victims speak out and demand change, much like women’s groups have done in recent decades. “There has to be a real public consciousness that domestic violence against men is a real issue,” said Sacks.
To learn more about domestic violence, see Glenn’s co-authored column No One Believed Me (MSN.com, (8/1/09).