Barriers to help-seeking for male victims of intimate partner violence

There is a body of evidence that supports the notion that men are less likely to engage in help-seeking behaviours across a range of settings compared to women (e.g., Addis & Mahalik, 2003). We know this is also the case when it comes to seeking help or disclosing experience of intimate partner violence (IPV; Taylor et al., 2021). The aim of this chapter is to review the wider literature and discuss examples of men’s internal (personal) and external (social and system level) barriers to help-seeking. This includes discussions of stigma, shame and masculinity, the reactions of others and the stereotypes of IPV, as well as the barriers that are created by policy and gendered approaches in the IPV sector. Conclusions include the ways in which men are trebly stigmatised when it comes to help-seeking for IPV.