Man up? Men’s experiences with intimate partner violence explained from a contemporary gendered perspective
Research on intimate partner violence (IPV) can be explained from a history of dominant perspectives on gender, that influences how IPV is perceived and how obstacles to seek help are shaped. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the experiences of male victims of IPV considering violence and seeking information and help. The sample included 13 men who were interviewed using a semi-structured topic list. The findings demonstrated that the experienced gender role influenced help-seeking behavior. The identification of oneself as victim played a role in recognizing the conflict as IPV. We can conclude that the current approach of professional services as well as their visibility towards male victims is not sufficiently inclusive and that the societal presence of gendered stereotypes affects internal and external barriers in recovering from and tackling IPV.