This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of male victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). Few studies exist about the experiences of men who are victims of female-perpetrated IPV and there are not many studies about these men's experiences in seeking and receiving psychological help. Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Peck's gender role strain paradigm guided this study to understand victimology and perceptions of gender roles. Research questions attempted to understand the lived experiences of male IPV victims of female-perpetrated IPV, accessing supportive and psychological services, and their experiences of these services. Seven male individuals were recruited through flyers in community centers, law enforcement agencies, and social media sites; 5 participants were interviewed via Skype and 2 responded via e-mail. Data from interviews were analyzed and coded following an interpretative phenomenological method. Five themes were identified from 2 research questions including: male victimization is seen as less severe than female victimization, family is not easy to talk to about experience, therapy and hospitalization were used, law enforcement officers are biased, and mental health workers are routine. Findings were evaluated with existing literature and suggestions are made for help-seeking option accessibility for male victims. This study promotes social change by discussing how supporting survivors may decrease negative gender roles and social norms while promoting the betterment of professionals who work with male victims. Victim-centered services, patient-centered approaches, and treatment and support for survivors of IPV will help to improve awareness about male victims in society while offering insight to decrease negative stigma.

Little or nothing is really known about a man’s victimization in a domestic violence situation. Generally domestic violence is viewed from the lens of a women with the typical idea that women are the victim while men, the perpetrators of violence. Overtime, this societal perception is beginning to subside as researchers have proven that men are also victims of domestic violence (Straus, Gelles, & Steinmetz,1980). Despite this revelation, not much is known about male victimization as most men prefer not to report their victimization. This study seeks to examine the reasons for not reporting victimization and the effect of this decision on men. The study does so by employing a cross sectional research carried out in 1994-1996, that was designed to assess the prevalence and impact of violence and threat of violence on women and men across the United States.

Within the last few decades, many of the efforts aimed at preventing domestic violence and helping victims have focused on violence against women. In fact, in social and legal venues, domestic violence is often exclusively considered a women's issue. However, domestic violence, particularly intimate partner violence, does not discriminate on any basis, including gender. This research focuses on male victims of domestic violence in order to show that domestic violence is a human issue, not a gender issue. Only when all victims of violent crime are acknowledged and treated fairly can society begin to solve the problem of domestic violence victimization. The intent of this thesis is to explore the incidence of victimization, the legal and societal representations, and legal treatment of male victims of intimate partner violence. Through the analysis of case law and statutes, quantitative statistics, domestic violence resources, popular culture, and anecdotal evidence, this thesis evaluates the treatment of male victims of intimate partner violence in the legal system. Evidence shows that gender bias exists and can affect battered men in numerous ways. Male petitioners seeking protective injunctions, prosecution of their violent partners, and resources, such as treatment, counseling, or shelter, often face discrimination against men. By raising awareness to domestic violence committed against men, this thesis aims to contribute not only to the legal discipline but also to solving the domestic violence epidemic in society-against all people.

Our purpose was that through semi-structured interviews with professionals from relevant organizations and an authority, which comes in contact with men who are victims of domestic violence and/or sexual violence, highlight and analyze their experiences and perceptions of these men's victimization. The organizations and the authority that they worked for was a non-profit organization, a hospital and the Swedish police. When it comes to these men it has emerged that they rarely contact support organizations and/or file a police report. The reason for this is, according to our study, among other factors the norms of masculinity that exist in society which claims that men can not be victims of neither domestic violence nor sexual violence, men are expected to be able to defend themselves or they are themselves the perpetrators. / Genom intervjuer med yrkesverksamma personer från relevanta organisationer och en myndighet, som kommer i kontakt med män som utsatts för våld i nära relation och/eller sexuellt våld, var vårt syfte att belysa och analysera dessa personers erfarenheter av och uppfattningar om dessa mäns utsatthet. Organisationerna och myndigheten som de arbetade för var en ideell organisation, ett sjukhus samt Polismyndigheten. När det gäller dessa män har det framkommit att de sällan kontaktar stödorganisationer och/eller gör en polisanmälan. Enligt studien är anledningen till detta bland annat de maskulinitetsnormer som finns i samhället som menar att män inte kan bli utsatta för varken våld i nära relation eller sexuellt våld. Detta då män förväntas kunna försvara sig själva eller själva vara förövare.