Male abuse survivor says charity help 'a blessing'

Peterborough Women's Aid's B-United project supports male victims of domestic abuse

A police and charity initiative supporting male victims of domestic abuse has been called a "blessing" by one of its users.

Peterborough Women's Aid (PWA) started the B-United project helping men in June, with support from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Crime Commissioner (PCC), Darryl Preston.

So far there have been 96 referrals from across the county.

A user, who has been kept anonymous, said he wanted to inspire more victims to speak out after he was helped to "come out of a very dark place".

Cambridgeshire Police said between January and October this year it recorded 1,694 cases of domestic abuse where men were the victims.

PWA said men often felt they were "not believed".

Amanda Geraghty, from the charity, said: "The real issue is about men having the confidence of speaking out and that they might not always have the same support women have.

"This is a very complex project and we have to check details and validate their information. But we will never turn away any genuine victim. We are fully committed to supporting them."

The charity said it had received very positive feedback.

One victim, from Peterborough, said it took a "significant effort" for him to seek help. But after nearly six weeks of support, he felt a "burden" had been "lifted".

He said: "I was in an emotionally, mentally and physically abusive relationship for eight months.

"I was in a copious amount of trauma and my ego had taken a considerable hit.

If you are in need of support regarding domestic abuse or a number of other issues, there are links to organisations that can help at BBC Action Line.

"There is a lot of stigma with men asking for help. We are often told by other men to 'man up', or showing emotions is a sign of weakness.

"But I hope I can inspire more men to come out and stand up for themselves. You are worth it. There is help out there, though it might be hard to find at first."

He added: "I was referred to a different charity first, but they said they don't have male victim support - and then I was referred to PWA. This shows the real need for this kind of an organisation."

Darryl Preston said he was "acutely aware that men can also suffer the blight of domestic abuse"

The project has been funded for two years by the county's PCC.

Mr Preston said: "Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority for me. However, having served as a police officer, I am acutely aware that men can also suffer the blight of domestic abuse and rightly deserve an equal response.

"In one month alone, I understand Peterborough Women's Aid received 34 requests for help and support from men within our county. This is evidence enough to me that this post is already delivering an important service.

"However, this isn't just about the one-to-one support to individuals, the charity is also raising awareness of domestic abuse to encourage others to take the first step to seek help."