April 2022
Helping men escape
domestic abuse
Freephone 0808 800 1170
Helpline 0808 800 1170
Public Policy and Campaigns
A key part of the work that the charity engages in is to ensure male victims of domestic abuse and domestic violence are treated the same as female victims rightly are.
Part of this work includes responding to consultations, writing letters and taking part in wider campaigns – influencing policymakers, commissioners and think tanks. Research and Statistics can be found in this section.
Our policy statement on a range of issues such as a why domestic abuse is not a gendered crime, a gender inclusive approach to domestic abuse and to domestic abuse commissioning and the need for a Ending Intimate Violence Against Men and Boys strategy can be found in this Position Statement . A full briefing on the Domestic Abuse Bill and other whole system changes can be found here.
The charity worked with both the Crown Prosecution Service and the Home Office in the production of these two male victim statements of “VAWG” crimes:
CPS: Public statement on male victims for crimes covered by the CPS
Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy (2017)
Home Office: Position statement on male victims of crimes considered in
the cross-Government strategy on ending Violence Against Women and Girls
(VAWG) (2019)
Our award-winning video #violenceisviolence can be found here and media coverage of male victims can be found .
Our YouTube Channel with lots of videos and recordings and these can be found here
The groundbreaking documentary “Real Men Do Cry” can be found here.
Media coverage of male victims, court cases and examples can be found here
Please click on the paper you would like to read. (Many include the responses received.)
Public Policy, Briefings and Consultation Responses
(for letters, campaigns and complaints – see section further below)
April 2022: Response to the Women and Equalities Committee inquiry into the Mental Health of Men and Boys
February 2022: Public Policy Summary
July 2021: Response to Government (MHCLG) Safe Accommodation Statutory Guidance Consultation
February 2021: Dr Ben Hine – Submission – Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (Call for Evidence)
February 2021: Dr Elizabeth Bates – Submission – Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (Call for Evidence)
February 2021:Stand With Him: Evidence to the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy (The voices of women who have been personally affected by men who have been, and, many who still are, victims of domestic abuse)
February 2021: Academics working with Male Victims of Interpersonal Violence – Evidence to the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy
February 2021: “Meeting the Male Survivors Test” – Evidence to the Violence Against Women and Girl Strategy Consultation (ManKind Initiative)
February 2021:House of Lords Briefing: Amendment to the Statutory Guidance Clause (Grand Committee)
January 2021: Domestic Abuse Bill (House of Lords – Committee Stage) – ensuring the voices of male victims and LGBT+ are heard in the debate.
December 2020: Domestic Abuse Bill (House of Lords – Second Reading) – supporting male victims of domestic abuse.
September 2020: Response to Government review on support in the workplace for survivors of domestic abuse
September 2020: House of Lords Briefing – 2nd Reading of the Domestic Abuse Bill
August 2020: Successful complaint to Office for Statistics Regulation about the Home Office use in the Statutory Guidance (Domestic Abuse Bill / Act) of the word “vast” to describe the difference in the numbers of women and men perpetrating domestic abuse
July 2020: Domestic Abuse Bill 2020 Summary Briefing (Report Stage – Third Reading)
April 2020: Women and Equalities Committee Submission : Coronavirus (Covid-19) and the impact on people with protected characteristics
April 2020: Domestic Abuse Bill 2020 (Second Reading) (A 21st Century and inclusive approach to supporting ALL victims including male and LGBTQ+ victims of domestic abuse)
April 2020: Submission to the Home Affairs Select Committee – Call for evidence on domestic abuse in Coronavirus inquiry
March 2020: Domestic Abuse Bill 2020 Summary Briefing (Male Victims of Domestic Abuse): A 21st Century and inclusive approach to supporting ALL victims – including male victims of domestic abuse and LGBTQ+ victims of domestic abuse.
March 2020: Domestic Abuse Bill 2020 Full Briefing (Male Victims of Domestic Abuse) A 21st Century and inclusive approach to supporting ALL victims – including male and LGBTQ+ victims of domestic abuse.
January 2020: Letter to Rt Hon Priti Patel MP (Home Secretary): A New 21st Century Approach to Domestic Abuse and the Domestic Abuse Bill – Gender Inclusion and Domestic Abuse is not a Gendered Crime.
June 2019: House of Lords Briefing: Domestic Abuse Debate (6 June 2019)
May 2019: House of Parliament Joint Committee on the Domestic Abuse Bill – Further Submission on behalf of Male Victims of Domestic Abuse (covering male victims in heterosexual and same-sex relationships)
April 2019: House of Parliament Joint Committee on the Domestic Abuse Bill – Submission on behalf of Male Victims of Domestic Abuse
April 2019: Dr Elizabeth Bates’ Submission – House of Parliament Joint Committee on the Domestic Abuse Bill– Submission on behalf of Male Victims of Domestic Abuse
February 2019: House of Parliament Human Rights Inquiry: Domestic Abuse Bill
January 2019: Response to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission Draft Strategy Consultation
May 2018: Transforming the response to domestic abuse (Home Office and Ministry of Justice) – Executive Summary and Full Response
February 2018: New domestic abuse Sentencing Guidelines welcomed especially on gender stereotypes and court orders
November 2017: Statement on “Screening or Assessing” Male Victims of Domestic Abuse who call Anonymous Helplines
September 2017: CPS Statement on recognising and supporting male victims of “VAWG” crimes (The ManKind Initiative worked with CPS on this)
July 2017 – Domestic Violence and Abuse Act (10 Recommendations for Change)
July 2017 – Sentencing Council (draft intimidatory offences and domestic abuse guideline): ManKind Initiative response
June 2017 – New Domestic Violence and Abuse Commissioner has to believe in an inclusive approach (Telegraph online)
March 2017 – Consultation Response to Mayor of London’s Draft Police and Crime Plan
July 2016 – Refuges and Safe Houses for Male Victims of Domestic Abuse: Policy Briefing
June 2016 – Police and Crime Commissioner Briefing: Male Victims of Domestic Abuse
May 2016 – Refuges for Male Victims of Domestic Abuse (Parliamentary Briefings)
July 2015 – Nice Quality Standards
October 2014 – Home Office: Strengthening the Law on Domestic Abuse
October 2014 – Further submission to Welsh Assembly on Gender-based Violence, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Bill)
September 2014 – Submission to Welsh Assembly on Gender-based Violence, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Bill
September 2013 – National Institute of Clinical Excellence Domestic Abuse Consultation (ManKind Response)
August 2013 – UK National Screening Committee Domestic Abuse Consultation
February 2013 – Welsh Government Consultation
July 2012 – London Grants Commission consultation.
March 2012 –Cross Government Definition of Domestic Abuse
February 2012 – Home Office Stalking Consultation
October 2011 – Response to Bristol city council consultation
July 2011 – Response to Equalities and Human Rights Commission consultation
April 2011 – Strengthening families, promoting parental responsibility: the future of child maintenance.
January 2010 – Scotland Government Response
September 2009 – Response to Welsh Assembly Government’s consultation on domestic abuse
February 2009 – Response to Mayor of London’s Equality Framework
March 2008 – Response to Crown Prosecution Service’s review of its domestic violence policies
September 2007 – Submission to Home Office Select Committee’s investigation into domestic violence
Campaigns, Letters and Complaints
March 2021: Letter to Home Secretary, Lord Chancellor and Attorney General on Domestic Homicides Review (Response to Victims’ Commissioner and Domestic Abuse Commissioner letter) – Male Victims
August 2020: Successful complaint to Office for Statistics Regulation about the Home Office use in the Statutory Guidance (Domestic Abuse Bill / Act) of the word “vast” to describe the difference in the numbers of women and men perpetrating domestic abuse. The Statutory Guidance stated “Domestic abuse most commonly takes place in intimate partner relationships. The vast majority is perpetrated by men against women…” The Office for Statistics Regulation decision was to support the ManKind Initiative complaint and therefore not allow the Home Office to use the word in the description.
May – July 2017 – BBC Complaint: All at Mrs Brown’s (complaint, BBC response, further complaint, BBC response, further complaint)
March 2017 – Baroness Williams (13 03 2017) on inaccurate statistics in House of Lords debate
February 2017 – Bromley Council Letter (17 February 2017) Domestic Violence and Violence against Women and Girls Service
January 2017 – Government responds on Violence Against Women and Girls funding to confirm applies to male victims …
January 2017 – Letter to Police and Crime Commissioners (Violence Against Women and Girls Transformation Fund) Template letter– part of the Men and Boys Coalition submission
January 2017 – Letter to Sir Oliver Heald QC MP: Family Courts Review and Domestic Abuse
January 2017 – Letter to Lord Chancellor, Secretary of State for Justice: Family Courts Review
August 2016 – Signatory to letter calling on the Big Lottery Fund to take on a gender inclusive approach
August 2016 – Ofsted letter on joint inspections of the response to children living with domestic abuse
August 2016: ManKind Initiative joins the UK SAYS NO MORE campaign
May 2016: Complaint to Advertising Standards Authority about BT Infinity Advertisement (Ryan Reynolds)
Response from the Advertising Standards Authority (BT Infinity – Ryan Reynolds)
March 2016 – Signatory to letter to Chief Medical Officer
December 2015 – Signatory to Equalities and Human Rights Consultation on Strategic Plan
November 2015 – Signatory to letter to Government Equalities Office (International Men’s Day 2015)
September 2015: Government Domestic Violence Summit
On 18 September 2015, the Government held a domestic violence summit but did not invite any organisations representing male victims or gave them a platform to speak.
July 2015: Letter to Sir Andrew Dilnot (Chair of UK Statistical Authority)
August 2014 – Letter to Mr Tim Passmore (Police and Crime Commissioners: Suffolk)
January 2014 – Complaint to BBC Newsnight
July 2013 – (3) Just Do It
October 2012 – NSPCC / DART Programme complaint and response
June 2012 – Letter to Home Group / Stonham
March 2012 – Government’s Male Victims Fund – Freedom of Information
November 2011 – Response to Clare’s law consultation
January 2011 – Letter to Dominic Raab MP, Male victims of domestic abuse
7 January 2011 – Welsh Equalities Commission’s domestic abuse campaign shows it is sitting on its hands when it comes to male victims
November 2010 – Complaint to Ken Clarke QC MP on Equal Treatment Bench Book
July 2010 – Letter to Dr David Gadd (University of Keele), on the From Boys to Men study on domestic violence
June 2010 – Letter to Ken Clarke QC MP, Secretary of State for Justice, supporting anonymity for men accused of rape
December 2009 – Letter to and response from Equalities and Human Rights Commission on the application of the Gender Equality Duty by local councils.
March 2009 – Correspondence between the charity Parity and the UK Statistics Regulator and CPS over stopping the use of “Overwhelming” when describing the differences in volumes of domestic abuse victims of different genders. Overwhelming is not allowed to be used by a public authority as it is inaccurate. Complaint letter, UK Statistics Regulator response and CPS Response.
February 2009 – Request to and refusal by Equalities and Human Rights Commission for a Map of Gaps for male victims of domestic abuse
February 2009 – Complaint to NSPCC about its Domestic Violence and Children campaign.
May 2008 – Complaint to Coalition on Men and Boys about bias
May 2008 – Complaint to Association of Police Officers
Art and Music
Jim Corbett: Black and Blue (song)