A growing number of men are suffering domestic abuse in silence, with advocates warning that stigma, ridicule and weak enforcement are preventing victims from seeking help and exposing deep cultural biases within the justice system.

The phenomenon was highlighted during the National Consultation on Victims and Victim Support, with Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice Michael Lashley joining Fabian Sargeant, the head of the Men’s Empowerment Network, in calling for systemic education and urgent cultural shifts to address the issue.

Lashley recalled a powerful example from his early career as a practising attorney in the magistrates’ courts. “I was in court, and a man came in with an application for a protection order… he [said] he is scared for his life and all that, and the whole courtroom started laughing,” Lashley revealed, noting that the mockery followed the victim out of the building. “When he went out on the court steps, people were laughing and pointing.”