Societal Perception on Domestic Violence Against Men

Abstract

The phenomenon of domestic violence is a prevalent societal concern that impacts individuals irrespective of their gender—making significant advancements in the acknowledgment and mitigation of violence against men. However, the cultural understanding of domestic violence perpetrated against males remains an issue that has received limited attention and exploration. This research, conducted within the Philippine setting, seeks to provide insight into the prevailing preconceptions, prejudices, and attitudes that influence public discourse and impact policy responses to domestic violence against males. It employs a mixed-method research approach, including Likert-Scale questionnaires and checklist-type questionnaires, to assess the level of awareness of domestic violence against men in various forms, such as verbal, physical, sexual, financial, and emotional violence. The research findings indicate that there is societal awareness of the diverse manifestations of violence perpetrated against males. The study further assesses the relative effect of several factors on awareness, with age identified as the predominant determinant. The study emphasizes the significance of confronting misunderstandings, promoting consciousness, and fostering a broader comprehension of domestic abuse. The argument posits the necessity of policy adjustments and legal revisions to recognize and confront instances of gender-based violence perpetrated against males, emphasizing the importance of adopting gender-neutral definitions of domestic abuse. This study enhances the comprehension of cultural attitudes towards male victims of domestic abuse, highlighting the necessity for a fairer and more holistic approach to tackling this problem and offering assistance to all victims, regardless of their gender.