Helping you speak up this International Men's Day

Today is International Men’s Day – a day to celebrate the men in our lives and all they do, and also a day to remind them that they deserve help and support when they need it, too.

Statistically, men are less likely to seek help - often feeling pressure to be resilient and strong – which for us can mean they are less willing to report crimes that have been committed against them.

In particular, we want to highlight that men are also victims of domestic and sexual abuse. In December, we shared the story of Andrew*, a male survivor of domestic abuse.

Throughout his marriage, his partner was abusive and often took her anger out on him. Despite being the breadwinner, he was also not allowed access to the family’s finances. The physical violence then started, and his wife would throw a punch or an object at him every time Andrew stood up for himself, so he began to avoid any topics that would make her angry.

You can read Andrew’s full story here.

This International Men’s Day, the theme is ‘positive male role models’.  By speaking up about something you’re struggling with or something you feel isn’t right, you’re both ensuring you get the support you need and showing other men and boys that it’s okay to reach out for help.

You are also invited to become involved in our men’s advisory group. The aim of the group is to improve the quality of policing by being the critical link between the community and the police.

If you would like more information about this group, please visit: Volunteer for our men’s advisory group | Derbyshire Constabulary.

You can also access further support and information on International Men’s Day here: Home - International Men's Day.

*Andrew’s name has been changed to protect his identity.