Domestic violence (DV) charity Broken Crayons Still Colour (BCSC) is calling for donations and government support as it looks to open Australia’s first DV shelter dedicated to men.
Rach Mac, founder and director of BCSC, says she was inspired to open the men’s shelter after meeting male DV victims and hearing some of their stories.
She told WA Today she realised there was a gap when it came to supporting men, who are often not listened to when it comes to abuse allegations.
“We just need people to start taking this issue seriously,” she said.
“Statistically, women are being killed and having serious incidents much more often than men. However, males do suffer domestic violence.”
“And it’s often the stigma that’s attached to it – that you’re supposed to be the tough guy – that stops them from reporting it.”
Figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) show one in 18 men has experienced physical or sexual violence at the hands of a current or previous partner, and one in seven had experienced verbal or emotional abuse.
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