MALE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Informing Social ... - Amen

was well able to identify with the main types of abuse male victims suffer from her
experience and the affects this abuse inflicts on the men. The medical social worker
held the view that domestic violence is the same for any person, but when people are
not believed as in the case of male victims it is worse. The medical social worker was
of the opinion that outside the hospital, services available for male victims are very poor
and the only service she knew of was Amen. She also found that at times she would
disagree with some of her social work colleagues working outside of the hospital in
their decisions and would see the need to challenge them, as it is part of her role in the
hospital is to advocate on behalf of her clients.
In the area of child protection the social worker pointed out that their main priority in
any domestic violence situation encountered is the safety and welfare of the child.
There are domestic violence procedures in place, but the social worker felt that these are
more centred on female victims of domestic violence. In cases where men come
forward as male victims, their motives are questioned because it is very unusual for a
social worker in child protection to come across a male victim of domestic violence. If
a male victim is identified, an appointment is made and an assessment carried out, he is
provided with the necessary supports, but the child protection social worker was not
aware of any service for male victims of domestic violence. The child protection social
worker had no real experience with male victims to comment on the types and the
affects of abuse on male victims. But she did highlight that social workers in Ireland
are very young and inexperienced. That they come from a middle class background and
have lead protected lives with few life experiences. She also found that some social
workers could not accept that a man could be a victim of domestic violence. The child
protection social worker accepts that male victims exist and that more work with them
needs to be done.
In the area of community social work the social worker interviewed pointed out that if
they had to side with either a male or female victim of domestic violence, they would
more than likely side with the female. I feel this is an important point and is the result
of society’s view of a man being seen as the perpetrator and not as the victim in cases of
domestic violence, influencing outcomes in professional practice. If a male victim is
identified an appointment is made and an assessment carried out. The male victim is
supported, but the social worker pointed out that he was not aware of any agency or
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