Men can be victims of violence too

Though men face physical and emotional abuse in intimate relationships, they are not supported as much as the women are. They are many factors that add to their sorrow too - society, law, family and their ego or self-respect.

men in distress
Despair

Men can be victims of violence is equally true as a woman is but can they prove their victimization is the hard truth. Most of the people do not acknowledge this fact that men can be victims of violence.

Though men face physical and emotional abuse in intimate relationships, they are not supported as much as the women are. They are many factors that add to their sorrow too – society, law, family and their ego or self-respect.

When a woman accuses a man of physical abuse or verbally abusive, everyone sympathizes with the woman if when it’s not true and sometimes the man has to keep everything at stake. He may lose all his opportunities, respect, and professional increments and also shamed in society.

No one tries to imagine the trauma of the public shame, humiliation and emotional abuse he has to live within reality.

Men have the privilege over women, which is the reality and have overused this privilege, accessing it all the time, without realizing how much harm it was causing to society. Men should stop abusing it and acknowledge this privilege then maybe they will also be heard when they reach out for help.

Violence can happen to anyone – especially spousal. Most of the time we do not know what the reality is behind the doors but get to hear many interpretations – and we choose to believe what suits us or our impression on a certain person. We fail to understand that violence against anyone is wrong irrespective of gender.

The main reason for violence in intimate relationships is for power and control. People who lose their judgment and abuse power fail to realize that they are not only inflicting the pain on themselves but also for the person facing it.

Men in India have always been chauvinistic and authoritative because they are stronger physically and women have always been abused, hence violence against men is not recognized as a crime by the law or by society. A man is mercilessly mocked if he is beaten up by his wife and is considered unmanly.

The society isn’t sympathetic to men who are harassed by their wives. Hence, men being victimized very rarely come to light. Is there a solution to this kind of victimization?

Yes, in my opinion, we should listen to the other side of the story and make a conscious effort to bring in the change. As a coin always has two sides, we should broaden our minds and listen to the other side of the story and then make up our minds to judge others.

ALSO READ: Secondary status of women in India and gender difference