Talking about Domestic Violence at Uni yesterday, I was the only man in the class and found myself having to voice the fact that 40% of domestic violence has a male victim and trying to get the conversation away from a perception that only woman are victims and all men are perpetrators. The other students found this funny and one even said that “the men probably deserved it” another said that “it’s not the same, they are men and can defend themselves”. I was shocked and tried to explain that male victims can’t defend themselves otherwise they would be the ones arrested for domestic violence. I was shouted down, then when the tutor intervened instead of defending what I was saying she moved the conversation back to a gender biased approach where only woman are victims. I was disgusted, along with writing this on here I am also writing a letter to the Dean – a letter which I know will probably just be ignored. When 1 in 4 men suffer domestic violence and 1 in 3 woman – why do people only care about the woman?
