Police reaction to the male victim of domestic violence in South Africa: case study analysis

Abstract

This paper explains the experience of the male victim of domestic violence within a heterosexual marriage or cohabitating relationship in South Africa. In-depth interviews were conducted with five men who were subject to abuse/battering from their female partners. A brief explanation is provided of their emotional, physical and sexual abuse/battering but the main focus is their accounts of police involvement and reaction once they reported the incidents of domestic violence. We report both the negative and positive reactions of various members of the police force who were called to the scenes of these domestic violence cases. This is done by giving the victims interviewed a voice to express their experiences and the consequences on their lives. A brief discussion of an Australian and American study of this phenomenon is also included to serve as an international comparison of victimization experiences for men who report incidences of domestic violence to police.