The Unseen Wounds of Male Victims of Gender-Based Violence: A Comparative Study of India and USA

Abstract: Gender-based violence pertains to violence perpetrated against individuals, regardless of being male or female, because of their sex or socially established gender roles; however, when violence targets men due to their gender, it is known as gender-based violence against men. Gender-based violence includes in its ambit intimate partner violence, domestic violence. Historically, our society has been ruled by men, and it is commonly believed that only women are the victims of gender-based violence while men are seen as the perpetrators; however, the reality that men can also become victim of gender-based violence at the hands of others is largely overlooked and unrecognized. Gender-based violence directed at men is a concern that hampers gender equality, which is one of the objectives of sustainable development, and continues to be one of the most serious human rights violations in all societies. Men are not given any statutory protection against domestic violence or other form of abuse either in India or United States i.e. laws in India as well as in USA fails to acknowledge any kind of gender-based violence against men. Statues related to Gender-based violence only revolves around women leaving men as unnoticed victims. Authors in this paper seeks to make comparative analysis with respect to existence and kinds of Gender-based violence against men in India as well as in USA like physical abuse, psychological abuse, economic abuse and sexual abuse etc. Focus is to analyse causes and consequences of Gender-based violence against men.