How do men who are unknown to authorities for using violence and abuse towards women experience their actions?

This research is sited within the area of Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA), a complex, enduring and multifaceted global issue. Whilst acknowledging DVA affects men and women this research considers men’s violence and abuse towards intimate partner women. In highlighting a current paucity of research with men who use DVA this research offers an original contribution to knowledge through a focus on understanding more from men who are unknown to authorities about how they experience their violent and abusive actions.

Existing research with men often repetitiously focuses on description of incidents and is mostly gained from men enrolled on some form of domestic violence and abuse perpetrator programme. This qualitative research reports on the findings from interviews held with eight men who self-identified as using DVA and who had no authority involvement related to their DVA actions.

Whilst there is evidence in the findings of denial, minimising and blaming others, which is a theme of existing research, participants were also able to reflect earnestly on how they thought and felt about their actions. Additionally, the findings offer further understanding of how participants have avoided being reported for DVA even though in a majority of cases somebody else outside of the couple relationship knew about their violence and abuse.

Men who are unknown to authorities are willing to be part of DVA research. Some of the findings echo earlier research but there are poignant reflections from participants on how DVA has remained unadjudicated and the circumstances in which they have spoken to others about their actions. It is clear from participant accounts that DVA was not a positive experience for them either. Men who use DVA are responsible for their own actions but there is a role for family, friends and society in supporting attitudinal shift so that stigma and taboo surrounding DVA is not a barrier to accountability or for men who want to seek help to change. There are important implications for policy and practice for the multiple agencies working with DVA to gain a better understanding of men’s experiences.