Page 47 - IJPS-10-1

International Journal of
Population Studies Men’s experience of IPV during COVID-19 lockdown

Table 2. (Continued)
References Region/ Prevalence rate Type Consequences/Findings
Country
cases against men by their wives between
2020 and the first quarter of 2021. In
2020, a total of 46 men reported being
battered by their wives, while in the first
quarter of 2021, about 43 men reported
being abused by their wives.
NOI Polls (2020) Nigeria This study revealed that 47% of All forms of domestic
Nigerians reported one form of domestic violence
violence or the other against men in
their locality during the peak of the
COVID-19

the first quarter of 2021. A study in Norway lends credence to of abuse, including economic or financial abuse, from
the increasing prevalence of IPV in men during the COVID- their female partners. This result is in tandem with studies
19 pandemic lockdown period (Nesset et al., 2021). Crime elsewhere (Evans et al., 2020; Kolbe and Büttner, 2020;
statistics from the German Federal Criminal Police Office Kigaya, 2021) and other studies in Sub-Saharan Africa,
in 2018 recorded that about 26,362 men experienced IPV Europe, and the United States before the pandemic
(Kolbe & Büttner, 2020). Other studies elsewhere before the (Stults et al., 2016; Khalifeh et al., 2015; Costa et al., 2015;
pandemic also corroborate this finding (Mitra et al., 2016; Umubyeyi et al., 2014). The physical abuse could reflect
Dienye & Gbeneol, 2009; Dass et al., 2011). the vulnerability of men in violent situations as the female
Arguably, most cases of male experience of IPV during partners may likely resort to using dangerous weapons
the lockdown period were under-reported (Gleeson, 2020). for self-defense. The plausible explanation for financial or
Notably, IPV cases targeted at men were more commonly economic abuse could be job loss during the peak of the
lockdown period, which apparently may have left some
reported in developed countries than in developing
countries, such as Nigeria and other Sub-Saharan African male victims completely dependent on their partners.
countries. This may be attributed to the dominant The papers reviewed in this study showed that there
patriarchal culture, the need to maintain a masculine image, are severe consequences of abuse perpetrated against
and the culture of stigmatization and shame associated with men by female partners. While some studies reported
men claiming themselves as victims of IPV cases. Another that women are more likely to suffer from emotional
study elsewhere confirmed that men are less likely to and mental disorders, some of the male victims suffered
report IPV cases and seek professional help due to shame, similar outcomes (Warburton & Raniolo, 2020; ManKind

embarrassment, and discrimination (Tsui et al., 2010). Initiative Briefing 1, March 2020; ManKind Initiative
On this note, it is plausible to say that men’s experience of Briefing 4, May 4 – 10, 2020; Gleeson, 2020; Gama et al.,
IPV may have been under-reported in this study and this 2021). Furthermore, 4.3% of men and 0.4% of women
may be attributed to social and cultural contexts in which suffered internal injuries such as fractures and teeth
they occurred and exacerbated by the stringent lockdown injuries. This finding highlights the severe effects of IPV
restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. on male victims and the need to give equal attention to
men who suffer spousal abuse. Generally, violations of
During the lockdown period, male victims were
equally subjected to emotional and psychological abuses, custody and children arrangement orders, particularly in
the United Kingdom, and the inability to get counseling
such as spending monitoring, food deprivation, and the services are prominent issues facing the male victims of
withholding of personal property (phone or computer). IPV. These consequences have been confirmed by other
This situation could have resulted in serious emotional studies (Ahmed et al., 2021; Evans et al., 2020). The lack of
trauma and difficulty in accessing help. Consequently, counseling support could be attributed to the inability of
the inability to access medical support and help may men to get out for help. During the COVID-19 pandemic
have adverse implications for their mental health and the lockdown, male victims were trapped with their female
economic well-being of families and the global economy. abusers and due to social isolation, it becomes more

Furthermore, some of the papers reviewed also showed difficult to find a safe space where these abused men can
that men experienced physical abuse and all other forms seek counseling. In the words of one of the male victims

Volume 10 Issue 1 (2024) 41 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.376