The fact that there are virtually no abuse services specifically for male victims (particularly in America), is a catastrophic failure of safeguarding, that society readily accepts.

Show someone a pie chart that illustrates how only 1% of funding goes to abused men, and expect to see a shrug, a blank stare, and disinterested face. “That’s just the way it is”, you’ll likely hear. Sometimes people will deny it. Others will ask “why don’t men build their own shelters?” Many will wag an angry finger in your face, and move the conversation back toward women and girls. But still, the sad reality remains the same: there seem to be just two abuse shelters specifically for male victims in all of North America. Two. And no, before you go Googling, I don’t mean homelessness shelters, where male abuse victims are often sent. I don’t mean a local motel, that will give these men a room for free. I don’t mean women’s shelters, that claim to have a space for men, but almost always don’t. And I don’t mean male batterers programmes, that masquerade as ‘services’ for abused men, either. I mean actual shelters for male victims, specialised for their specific needs. Two. Meanwhile, for women, there are around two and a half thousand such shelters, and I am glad to see them. In fact, I am sure there can be more shelters for women too. But even if these numbers are even remotely true, it reveals a staggering 1,000:1 disparity between abuse shelters for men, and those for women. And yet… people don’t seem to mind. So why are America’s millions of male victims left out in the cold, when it comes to provision? When did this enormous moral failing start, and how did we arrive here? Well, it began in Minnesota in the early 80s, in a small port-city called Duluth. Let’s take a look… ~ Abuse Shelter Data