Male partners can be the victims of abuse in relationships. This is true for both heterosexual and homosexual relationships. However, it’s important to note that in at least 95% of cases, it is the male partner who is the abuser.
Breaking up with an abusive partner can be very different from breaking up with someone who isn’t abusive. Because abusers believe that they are entitled to control you, they may not let you break up with them. If you’re considering breaking up with an abusive partner it’s important to talk it though with an adult you trust. You may want to fill out a safety plan to help you stay safe. You will need to be prepared for your abuser trying to ‘win you back’. Writing a list of all the reasons why you weren’t happy in the relationship may help you stay strong.
A domestic violence protection order is a civil order made by a court that imposes conditions to protect a person from future domestic violence. A domestic violence order can either be a protection order or a temporary protection order. A protection order is a final long term order that a person must not commit domestic violence against any person named in the order. The court can also impose other conditions in the order, for example, staying away from the abused person’s home or workplace. If the abuser breaches the conditions of the order, they can be fined or jailed. More information on protection orders can be found here:
http://www.courts.qld.gov.au/courts/magistrates-court/domestic-and-family-violence
People abuse their partner because they believe that they are entitled to more power and control in the relationship than their partner is. They may see their partner as someone that they ‘own’. They may have bought in to the popular culture myth that men are dominant and aggressive and women are passive and submissive. However, it’s important to remember that it is never the abused partners’ fault – no matter what the abuser says. The myth that some abused people like the abuse is just that – a myth. Nobody likes being abused and nobody asks for it.
