Are men safe?

     

The recent times have seen an uprising support for men who suffer from violent and abusive partners. Whether it is Johnny Depp who won a defamation case against his wife or people slamming the abuse of #metoo movement , the public are well informed about the sexist attack on men in general. The people who were on the quick-foot to judge the allegations on Johnny Depp are slowly opening up to the idea of men being harassed.

 We must admit men can be sexually harassed too. I myself have heard from men that have been sexually harassed during their growing years. Reports claim that about 1 in every six men are targets of sexual abuse in their lifetimes.

 Many men may not be even able to express their agony fearing the shame in the society. Men are expected to be strong and not whine about anything. 

 Gender-based violence affects 52.4 percent of married men, according to a survey of 1000 married men in rural Haryana. About 51.5 percent of men have been subjected to some form of torture or abuse by their partners. Emotional abuse is the most common form of abuse against men , followed by physical abuse. Many of them go unreported because of societal and family pressures. 

 Still if a man seeks justice for his grievances, the laws are lacking in providing a safe house to the male victims. The existing legislation in India does not provide males with even the most basic relief of having a male or female aggressor kept away from them.

 There should be male helplines set by the government to help the male victims. The law should also protect the men from false allegations and punish those who misuse law.

 Many question the idea of a man being the victim in domestic abuse and assassinate his character if he is not a 'perfect victim'. When are we going to set all things apart and treat a victim as a victim? 

 No one is perfect and so are the people who approach the courts. More men are being vocal about their sufferings and the society should be open to such people. 

 Being strong is not about never crying. Strong mindedness is the ability to share your heart without the fear of being judged. Lets not judge the men who speak up and discuss it with an open mind. 

 The affected men face serious psychological problems, which also triggers them towards substance abuse. They should be given relevant medical help or proper rehabilitation.

 A study says that, while women are more likely to consider suicide than males, more men die of suicide. India ranks 3rd in the case of women beating their husbands. It only goes to show that men need more protection by the law and understanding by the society.