Men as Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in Heterosexual Relationships

Abstract: Compared to a long-standing tradition of research on violence against women in intimate relationships, the study of men as victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) by women has received far less attention. Men as victims of IPV are also underrepresented in public awareness and provision of support. Moreover, evidence on male IPV victimization mostly comes from the United States. To contribute to the international knowledge base on men’s experiences of physical and sexual violence by women in intimate relationships, this paper presents data from Germany published since 2010 on the prevalence of men’s victimization by partners in heterosexual relationships based on three sources: (1) official statistics of police-recorded crime, (2) surveys of representative community samples, and (3) research studies with convenience samples. Although most studies found that men experience IPV victimization at a lower rate than women, the prevalence rates call for greater recognition of men as victims of IPV, more systematic research on risk factors of male IPV victimization, and greater appropriate support. Limitations of the evidence and implications for prevention are discussed.