Shame, stigma, and culture prevent male intimate partner violence survivors from seeking help, study finds

Men are less likely than women to seek help after experiencing intimate partner violence, and new research from George Mason University found that the main barriers include viewing it as a private matter, fear of retaliation, shame and concerns about not being believed.

In this study, postdoctoral researcher Lyric Russo explored these barriers across racial and ethnic groups to address gaps in research involving these underrepresented demographics. The paper, "Barriers to Help-Seeking Among Male Victims of Female-Perpetrated Intimate Partner Violence: Insights from Black, Latino, and White Men," was published in Psychology of Men & Masculinities.

"By centering men's perspectives across racial and ethnic backgrounds, the findings support a more inclusive understanding of intimate partner violence and underscore the importance of trauma-informed, culturally responsive and gender-inclusive interventions that broaden access to and engagement with existing services," said Russo, first author of the paper.

This study is among the first large-scale (nearly 1,200 men) U.S. studies to compare help-seeking barriers among non-Latino Black, Latino and non-Latino White male victims of intimate partner violence. The study was led and the paper was co-authored by male IPV researcher Denise Hines.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 44% of men report being victims of IPV, but many of these men are not receiving support, highlighting the significance of understanding barriers to seeking help.

Study findings:

• Across all racial and ethnic categories, viewing abuse as a private matter was the most common barrier to seeking help.
• Latino men were significantly more likely to express concerns about shame or embarrassment as a barrier.
• Black men were less likely to report concerns about not being believed.
• White men were more likely to report difficulty labeling their experiences as abuse.

"By identifying the challenges to seeking support, the findings can help inform more effective and inclusive services for diverse groups of male victims," said Hines, Elisabeth Shirley Enochs Endowed Professor of Social Work.

"Without focused research, interventions and support services may fail to reflect the experiences and needs of male victims," said Russo.

Lyric N. Russo et al, Barriers to help-seeking among male victims of female-perpetrated intimate partner violence: Insights from Black, Latino, and White men., Psychology of Men & Masculinities (2026). DOI: 10.1037/men0000560

Citation: Shame, stigma, and culture prevent male intimate partner violence survivors from seeking help, study finds (2026, August 13) retrieved 13 August 2026 from https://phys.org/news/2026-08-shame-stigma-culture-male-intimate.html

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Reporting from Phys.org contributed to this story.