Intimate partner violence against men – from shame to help

The issue of intimate partner violence has been resonating in our society, academic discourses, and policy debates for several decades and is likely to gain even more gravity and thus societal importance under the conditions of the current Corona pandemic (see for example, Neubert et al., 2020 and Bradbury-Jones & Isham, 2020). In 2011, a Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence was adopted at a meeting of the Council of Europe in Istanbul. In Germany, the convention entered into force on February 1st, 2018, and incorporates recommendations to include all victims of intimate partner violence. Accordingly, in addition to women and children, men affected by violence should also be protected. However, there is a lack of scientific studies in Germany that specifically address intimate partner violence against men.

The research project “Intimate partner violence against men – from shame to help” addresses this research gap. The goal of the project is to determine the relationship dynamics, experiences of violence, and exposure to violence of men in heterosexual and same-sex partner relationships. Forms of physical, psychological and sexualized violence are to be taken into account. The study should also take into account the previous personal histories of those affected with regard to the individual acts of violence. Furthermore, the study is to gain insights into the extent and relevance of violence against men in partnerships and shed light on the background and impact of the violence.

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