Abused at home? Men face domestic violence, too
It may be a surprise, but over 830,000 men are involved in domestic violence situations as victims each year in America. That means that a man is abused somewhere in the United States once every 37.7 seconds.
While many people assume only women are victims of domestic violence, that’s not true. Domestic violence isn’t just about a person’s strength or gender. It’s about controlling the other person. There are several kinds of domestic abuse to look out for including financial abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse and verbal abuse.
Emotional and verbal abuse hurt
Some men face emotional or verbal abuse, which includes things such as withholding affection as a form of punishment or degrading husbands. Women who shout, call men names or criticize their husbands may be promoting domestic abuse in their homes.
Emotional abuse may also include threatening to hurt a family member or punishing a father by taking away his right to see his children. Threatening to kidnap the children is a form of abuse as well.
Manipulation is a strong sign of emotional abuse. For example, a woman may say she was going to visit a friend but then went to see another man. When she returns, he confronts her. She then degrades her husband and makes fun of him for thinking she’d ever cheat on him. In this circumstance, the victim is made to feel like the aggressor who thinks something he shouldn’t, even though he’s correct.
Physical abuse happens
Physical abuse can come in many forms, but some include hitting, kicking or biting a spouse. Threatening abuse can also be a form of physical or psychological abuse. For instance, a man’s wife who breaks furniture or threatens him with a gun is psychologically abusive. If she hits or kicks him, spits or throws things at him, then she is being physically abusive.
Financial abuse ruins lives
Hiding, stealing or using another person’s money without permission is a form of financial abuse. Taking a spouse’s paycheck and giving him no access to it also constitutes abuse. If a woman takes out credit in her husband’s name, runs up debt or takes control of his finances in other ways against his will, that is also abusive.
Men face many trials in society, and domestic violence is one of them. For those facing this challenge, there is legal help to stop the abuse and get to safety. Whether the abuse is financial, psychological, emotional, physical or verbal, you have a right to live a life without feeling fear of or anxiety provoked by your spouse.
