Men\u27s victimization from women partners and their help seeking: An example from Uganda

Abstract

There is a growing interest among researchers in examining the experiences of men who have sustained intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. However, relatively less attention has been given to African men who have been victimized by women partners. Emerging research suggests that IPV is a problem for this group and that contrary to public perception, women do perpetrate IPV against their male partners. This chapter takes the example of Ugandan men and presents a discussion of their experiences with IPV. Ugandan men report enduring verbal abuse and physical violence from their partners, with verbal abuse being the most commonly reported. These experiences are associated with feelings of shame and powerlessness for men, who tend to cope in unhealthy ways, such as through substance abuse. Like other African men who have been victimized, Ugandan men may also cope through finding comfort in religion. They are often reluctant to disclose their victimization or to seek support due to fear of being shamed for deviating from societal expectations related to masculinity. Additionally, there are structural barriers to Ugandan men\u27s help seeking, such as limited resources in place to support men who have sustained IPV. Recommendations for future research and policy are discussed