Intimate partner violence against men. Results of an online survey

Background The issue of intimate partner violence against men has been addressed with caution in research. There are only a few recent studies that focused on the circumstances and findings of cases as well as on the actions following specific experiences of violence. Objective The objective of this study was to gather data on intimate partner violence against men and to assess the utilization of support services by affected individuals. Additionally, the study aimed to collect information on experiences of violence during childhood. Material and methods To collect the data, an online questionnaire was developed and sent to counselling organizations with the request for dissemination. The survey took place between July 2021 and June 2022. The data were analyzed using Excel and SPSS. Results In total, data sets of 163 men were analyzed. The average age of the 163 participants was 44.7 years. Of the participants 82.8% experienced violence during childhood, with significant correlations observed between the experience of psychological and physical violence (p < 0.001) as well as between the experience of violence by parents and in school (p < 0.001). The most commonly experienced form of intimate partner violence was psychological abuse (90.2%) and 36.8% of participants did not talk with anyone about their experiences. The most frequently cited reasons for not seeking help were the desire to cope with the situation alone (50%) and uncertainty about available contact persons or organizations (46.7%). Conclusion Medical professionals should be increasingly sensitized to the issue. Additionally, previous or current experiences of violence should be queried, e.g., during check-up examinations.