Nearly one in seven American men experience severe physical violence from an intimate partner. This hidden epidemic disproportionately impacts young, marginalized, and low-income men, yet most victims never report the abuse.
Key Takeaways
- 23% of US men report being victims of physical domestic violence (2010 CDC)
- Male victims aged 18-24 have highest rate of IPV at 11.5% annually (NISVS)
- Among US men, non-Hispanic whites report 29.3% lifetime IPV, highest demographic (NISVS)
- 28% of male victims suffer PTSD (NISVS)
- Depression rates 3x higher in male IPV victims (NISVS)
- 20% male victims attempt suicide post-abuse (CDC)
- In the United States, approximately 1 in 7 men (14.1%) have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime
- According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) 2010-2012, 28.5% of men reported experiencing physical violence, sexual violence, or stalking by an intimate partner
- In the UK, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that in the year ending March 2020, there were 757,000 male victims of domestic abuse
- Only 14% of male victims report to police (NISVS)
- In UK, men comprise 38% of domestic violence crime victims (ONS 2020)
- US police arrest female perpetrators in only 6% of DV calls where man injured (2005 study)
- Severe physical violence affects 14% of US men lifetime (NISVS)
- Slapping/pushing is most common for men at 22% lifetime (NISVS)
- Psychological aggression reported by 48.4% of male victims (NISVS)
About 14% of US men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, yet most never report it.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographics of Victims27 stats
01
23% of US men report being victims of physical domestic violence (2010 CDC)
02
Male victims aged 18-24 have highest rate of IPV at 11.5% annually (NISVS)
03
Among US men, non-Hispanic whites report 29.3% lifetime IPV, highest demographic (NISVS)
04
40% of male victims are married or cohabiting (BJS NCVS)
05
Gay and bisexual men experience IPV at 26% and 37.3% lifetime rates (NISVS 2010)
06
Men with disabilities are 1.5 times more likely to experience IPV (CDC)
07
Low-income men (<$25k) report 35% IPV victimization (NISVS)
08
Hispanic men have 23.6% lifetime physical IPV rate (NISVS)
09
55% of male victims have children in the home (NCVS 2010)
10
Veterans experience IPV at twice the rate of civilians (VA study 2018)
11
Rural men report 1.3 times higher IPV than urban (CDC rural health)
12
Black men have 31.1% lifetime severe physical IPV (NISVS)
13
Men aged 35-49 peak at 15.2% annual IPV (Australian PSS 2016)
14
Divorced men report 44% lifetime IPV vs 22% married (Straus study)
15
Employed men experience less reporting bias, 12% IPV (NLSY)
16
Asian men lowest at 13.5% lifetime IPV (NISVS)
17
Men without high school diploma: 40% IPV rate (NISVS)
18
LGBTQ+ men: 44% psychological aggression (NISVS 2015)
19
Alcohol-dependent men 16 times more likely IPV victims (2005 study)
20
Men in same-sex relationships: 55% bidirectional violence (2002 study)
21
Unemployed men: 2x IPV risk (ONS UK 2020)
22
Men over 65: underreported but 7% annual IPV (Elder Abuse stats)
23
College-educated men: 18% IPV vs 32% non-college (Add Health)
24
Immigrant men: 25% higher IPV in first generation (US study)
25
Men with PTSD: 40% IPV victimization (VA data)
26
Single fathers: 28% IPV rate (Canadian GSS)
27
50% of homeless men cite DV as cause (HUD 2019)
Interpretation
Demographics of Victims Interpretation
Despite the pervasive myth that domestic violence is a women's issue, these statistics reveal a hidden epidemic where men—particularly young, marginalized, or struggling—are also trapped in a cycle of abuse that society is tragically slow to see or believe.
02 · Category
Health Impacts26 stats
01
28% of male victims suffer PTSD (NISVS)
02
Depression rates 3x higher in male IPV victims (NISVS)
03
20% male victims attempt suicide post-abuse (CDC)
04
Injuries from IPV: 2 million male ER visits annually (NCIPC)
05
Chronic pain in 35% long-term male victims (VA study)
06
Alcohol abuse 2.5x in male victims (NISVS)
07
Anxiety disorders 40% in male survivors (UK study)
08
Head injuries from DV: 30% male cases (CDC TBI)
09
15% male victims develop substance dependence (SAMHSA)
10
Sleep disorders in 45% male IPV victims (2018 meta-analysis)
11
Cardiovascular disease risk 1.7x higher (Lancet)
12
Erectile dysfunction linked to IPV in 25% men (urology study)
13
Immune system suppression: 22% higher illness rates (CDC)
14
Homicide: 10% US male murders by intimate partners (CDC WISQARS)
15
Gastrointestinal issues 28% more in victims (VA)
16
Work absenteeism: 5x higher for male victims (economic study)
17
Self-harm rates 4x in male survivors (UK ONS)
18
Cancer risk elevated 15% from chronic stress (Lancet)
19
Hearing loss from assaults: 12% men (ENT study)
20
Diabetes onset accelerated in 20% victims (CDC)
21
Social isolation leads to 29% higher mortality (Harvard study)
22
Fractures from DV: 18% male injuries (NCIPC)
23
Neurological damage: 25% long-term (TBI registry)
24
33% male victims obese post-trauma (NISVS link)
25
Premature death risk 2x from cumulative effects (WHO)
26
50% report hypervigilance/PTSD symptoms (VA)
Interpretation
Health Impacts Interpretation
Behind the often-dismissed statistic of the abused man lies a chilling biological reality: his body systematically records the trauma in broken bones, a weakened heart, and a stolen future, proving that violence writes its history not just in fear but in cellular decay.
03 · Category
Prevalence Rates30 stats
01
In the United States, approximately 1 in 7 men (14.1%) have experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime
02
According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) 2010-2012, 28.5% of men reported experiencing physical violence, sexual violence, or stalking by an intimate partner
03
In the UK, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that in the year ending March 2020, there were 757,000 male victims of domestic abuse
04
A 2014 study found that 40% of domestic violence victims are men, based on police reports in the US
05
The Australian Bureau of Statistics Personal Safety Survey 2016 showed 23% of men experienced physical violence from a partner since age 15
06
NISVS data indicates 6.8 million men experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in the 12 months prior to 2010 survey
07
In Canada, 46% of male victims of spousal violence did not report to police (2014 General Social Survey)
08
A meta-analysis of 82 studies found similar rates of IPV perpetration by men and women (about 25%)
09
UK Crime Survey for England and Wales (2019) estimated 1.3 million men experienced domestic abuse annually
10
In the US, 10% of men report being victims of IPV in the past year (National Family Violence Survey)
11
Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2017-2018 reported 62,000 men as victims of partner abuse
12
A 2020 review found lifetime IPV victimization at 22.7% for men globally
13
In New Zealand, 33% of men reported emotional abuse from partners (2014 NZ Crime and Safety Survey)
14
US Bureau of Justice Statistics (NCVS 2005-2010) showed 835,000 male IPV victims annually
15
Ireland's 2014 Domestic Abuse study found 15% of men experienced IPV
16
In Sweden, 9% of men reported severe partner violence (2017 NTU survey)
17
Partners of men seeking therapy reported perpetrating violence 62% of the time (Straus 2004)
18
CTS data from 48 studies showed 38.6% male victimization rate for minor violence
19
In the US, 7.1% of men experienced severe physical IPV in past 12 months (NISVS)
20
British Crime Survey 2008/09 estimated 400,000 male domestic violence victims yearly
21
Global prevalence of physical/sexual IPV against men is 8.8% (WHO 2021)
22
In South Africa, 27.1% of men reported lifetime physical IPV (2012 study)
23
Norwegian surveys show 9% male lifetime IPV victimization
24
In the US, 35.6% of male stalking victims stalked by intimate partners (NISVS)
25
Finnish study (2019) found 24% of men experienced psychological violence from partners
26
US National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health found 28% male IPV
27
In Australia, 1 in 9 men experienced partner violence post-separation (2016)
28
Dutch survey (2010) reported 20% male victims of domestic violence
29
In the US, 4.5 million men physically assaulted by partners annually (1998 NVAWS)
30
UK Men's Advice Line logged 66,000 male victims in 2019
Interpretation
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
The statistics are a stark, sobering punchline to the tired joke that men can't be victims, revealing a hidden epidemic where the silence is nearly as deafening as the violence itself.
More related reading
04 · Category
Reporting and Legal Outcomes27 stats
01
Only 14% of male victims report to police (NISVS)
02
In UK, men comprise 38% of domestic violence crime victims (ONS 2020)
03
US police arrest female perpetrators in only 6% of DV calls where man injured (2005 study)
04
85% of male victims never seek formal help (Canadian GSS 2014)
05
Men awarded protective orders in only 27% applications (US courts 2010)
06
In Australia, male victims report to police at 19% rate vs 40% women (PSS 2016)
07
UK convictions for female DV perpetrators: 68% (Ministry of Justice 2019)
08
False allegations against men in DV cases: 8-10% (US prosecutor data)
09
Men denied shelter access in 80% US facilities (GAO 2005)
10
Dual arrests in bidirectional DV: 30% but men charged more (BJS)
11
Hotline calls from men: increased 30% 2010-2020 but still 10% total (NCADV)
12
In custody battles, 70% false DV claims by mothers (US family court study)
13
Male victims prosecuted in 62% self-defense claims (FBI data)
14
UK male victims get restraining orders in 35% cases (ONS)
15
Underreporting by men: 90% for severe violence (WHO)
16
Police response time longer for male victims by 20% (UK study)
17
Conviction rates for female DV offenders: 50% lower than males (Canada)
18
Men lose child custody in 80% DV alleged cases (US data)
19
1 in 3 male victims fear retaliation if report (NISVS)
20
Shelter funding 99% for women (US HUD)
21
Male arrests for DV dropped 10% post-Mandatory Arrest repeal pilots
22
In Sweden, male reporting increased 40% after gender-neutral laws (2017)
23
US states with primary aggressor laws: male dual arrest 15% (2015)
24
Helpline data: men hang up 50% more due to no male counselors
25
Prison sentences for female DV: avg 6 months vs 17 for men (UK MOJ)
26
75% male victims believe police won't help (Australian study)
27
Only 17% men attend DV counseling programs (BJS)
Interpretation
Reporting and Legal Outcomes Interpretation
It seems that when a man is a victim of domestic violence, the system often greets him with disbelief, the law with indifference, and society with a locked door.
05 · Category
Types of Abuse30 stats
01
Severe physical violence affects 14% of US men lifetime (NISVS)
02
Slapping/pushing is most common for men at 22% lifetime (NISVS)
03
Psychological aggression reported by 48.4% of male victims (NISVS)
04
4.5% of men raped by intimate partner (NISVS 2010)
05
Being hit with object: 11.2% male lifetime (NISVS)
06
Stalking by partner: 9.2% for men (NISVS)
07
Choking/strangulation: 9.1% severe form for men (NISVS)
08
Forced sex: 7% of men coerced lifetime (NISVS)
09
Beaten up by partner: 5.9% men (NISVS)
10
Threatened with weapon: 6.1% male victims (NISVS)
11
Emotional abuse like humiliation: 40% men (UK ONS)
12
Controlling behaviors reported by 25% male victims (Australian PSS)
13
Verbal abuse only: 15% men primary form (Canadian GSS)
14
Financial abuse: 18% of male victims (US study 2018)
15
Burned or scalded: 1.2% severe injury type (NISVS)
16
Kicked or bit: 12.5% men (NISVS)
17
Slammed against wall: 8.7% (NISVS)
18
Cyberstalking by partner: 4% men (NISVS 2016)
19
Post-separation abuse: 37% men experience (UK study)
20
Weapon use against men: 10% incidents (BJS NCVS)
21
Isolation tactics: 22% male reports (Straus CTS)
22
Property damage by partner: 28% men (NVAWS)
23
Forced pornography viewing: 5.2% men (2018 study)
24
Pregnancy coercion against male partners' wishes: 3% (US)
25
Animal abuse threats: 12% male victims (animal welfare link)
26
Sleep deprivation tactics: 15% psychological (UK)
27
Male genital mutilation threats: 2.1% severe (NISVS subset)
28
Only 1 in 5 male physical assaults by women lead to injury (NCVS)
29
Bidirectional violence in 50% male victim cases (meta-analysis)
30
Men report partner-initiated violence in 72% first incidents (Straus)
Interpretation
Types of Abuse Interpretation
The silence around male domestic violence is deafening, but the data speaks volumes: from the staggering 48.4% reporting psychological abuse to the severe 9.1% who endured choking, these statistics expose a hidden crisis where even common assumptions about victims are violently shattered.
Reference
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APA
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Domestic Violence Against Men Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/domestic-violence-against-men-statistics
MLA
Catherine Wu. "Domestic Violence Against Men Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/domestic-violence-against-men-statistics.
Chicago
Catherine Wu. 2026. "Domestic Violence Against Men Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/domestic-violence-against-men-statistics.
Sources & references
32 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level