APPENDIX 64
Supplementary memorandum submitted by
Men's Advice Line
What screening tools currently exist to help agencies
determine whether a man presenting as a victim is indeed a victim?
When do you expect to have your tools developed?
Currently there are two Screening/Needs
Analysis Tools that are still in development. Firstly the one
developed by Mark Coulter which is currently being piloted in
Newham and the Family Justice Centre in Croydon.
The second, which is similar to the first
has been developed by Relate. In July 2008 Relate will publish
a report "Domestic Violence-Response and Recognition"
which will findings of trials they have been conducting of assessment
tools for identifying relationships where it is unclear who is
the perpetrator and who is the victim. This report is funded by
the Big Lottery.
What could be done to challenge lack of public
understanding of male victims?
(See below re awareness campaign)I would
suggest that the key issue here is one of awareness-not so much
aimed at the public but at professionals. I believe that whilst
many professionals are increasingly becoming aware that men may
be victims, they struggle to work out whether the man is genuine
or not. This simply underlines the need for the Screening/Needs
Analysis Tool.
What would the key messages of a public information
campaign aimed at male victims be? Who could design/deliver a
campaign and which would be the best media to use?
I would be concerned about having a campaign
aimed specifically at "male victims" because many genuine/legitimate
male victims do not always identify with the term. (See the latest
British Crime Survey).
Secondly I would be concerned that we
would perhaps alienate the positive relationship the Men's Advice
Line (and Respect) enjoy with the End Violence Against Women lobby,
Women's Aid and Refuge.
I would like to se a campaign aimed at
men per se, irrespective of whether they are victims or perpetrators.
This ensures that we are inclusive of all aspects of our callers;
as partners/husbands, fathers, sons, brothers etc. Men do not
seek help early enough, whether about general health issues or
domestic violence until it is too late. A campaign would comprise
of the following:
1. Recognition that men experience
domestic violence too.
2. Inviting men to make contact.
3. A positive approach/message ie
It's ok to seek help as a man.
4. That help is available.
5. Message should be simple—Domestic
violence affects men too; Talk It Over.
6. No mention of "feelings"
but rather focussing on solutions, because men are socialised/see
themselves as "fixers" of problems.
Such a campaign would be led by the Men's
Advice Line and ideally supported by Respect, Relate, the Men's
Health Forum and The Fatherhood Institute. All organisations have
a very credible, national profile with their own networks which
would ensure very wide coverage and publicity. All organisations
have solid links with Government and there is no reason why this
could not be supported by various Government departments such
as the Home Office, Department of Health and the Department for
Children, Schools and Families.
There is ONE caveat; If we are to construct
a truly national campaign we have to ensure that we have the capacity
to respond to enquiries, particularly by phone. Currently the
Men's Advice Line receives over four hundred or so calls a month
and we would need perhaps significant additional capacity to ensure
that we can respond effectively to an increase in callers.
How many organisations deliver services for male
victims other than MALE? Do any of these have any connection with
MALE or do they all operate independently?
There are four other organisations in
particular that work with male victims:
1. Victim Support but I have concerns
that they will focus on a specific incident rather than a pattern
of behaviour. Inevitably this will result in perpetrators being
given support as well as some victims. I have concerns around
their understanding of risk, safety of the family as a whole etc
and their willingness to share information. As such they are not
a specialist service for male victims.
2. Mankind Initiative operate a phoneline
and receive some two to three hundred calls a year. In addition,
Men's Aid also provide telephone advice to men who identify as
victims. We have attempted on a number of occasions to enter into
a dialogue with Men's Aid in particular but so far to no avail.
It is true to say that in terms of their approach and ours to
the understanding of domestic violence we are poles apart. Whilst
our approach is essentially pro-feminist Man Kind and Men's Aid
believe that men are silenced by some feminist/feminazi(sic) conspiracy,
are often homophobic and never consider the issue of men's violence.
It is my belief that these organisations use the issue of "male
victims" as a vehicle to attack women and the feminist movement
which, form our perspective is a complete anathema.
The Men's Advice Line is a registered
member of the Telephone Helplines Association which ensures that
proper standards are maintained. In addition, an accreditation
process exists which we are currently in the process of applying
for. Additionally, we have an independent evaluator currently
contacting helpline users to gauge their experiences of the service
that they received in order to ensure we provide and met the needs
of a wide range of callers.
March 2008
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