SUMMARY: According to a 2010 national survey by the Centers for Disease Control and U.S. Department of Justice, in the last 12 months more men than women were victims of intimate partner physical violence and over 40% of severe physical violence was directed at men. Men were also more often the victim of psychological aggression and control over sexual or reproductive health. Despite this, few services are available to male victims of intimate partner violence. This paper explores the extent of intimate partner violence against male victims. It looks at the domestic violence system response to male victims. It re-examines data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, research on the impact of IPV on male victims and the system´s response to it. More research is needed on IPV against men, its impact on men and the domestic violence service response to male victims. Public education is needed on the extent of IPV against males, and services need to be provided for these victims. Increased domestic violence education directed at women and services to men should lead to a reduction of DV against women as well as men, since woman aggressors frequently are themselves victimized subsequently.

• Public education efforts about intimiate partner violence should not be gender-neutral, but should be specifically addressed to woman and girls as well as boys and men.
• State programs need to ensure that domestic violence services are provided to men across the state.