A Sociological Perspective of Men’s Underreporting of Domestic Violence and a Lack of Appropriate Interventions in the Caribbean

Abstract

Although domestic violence can be perpetuated and experienced by any group, women’s experience of domestic violence as victims is considerably more documented than men’s experience. The present article aims to discuss the literature and provide a sociological perspective on why men fail to report domestic violence and why intervention systems work against men instead of providing appropriate support services to assist. The present paper reviews the regional and international literature on male domestic violence victimization. The disparities, limitations, and explanatory implications of the data are highlighted in an attempt to bring more clarity in understanding the phenomenon. This paper argues that data do not accurately show the extent of men’s experience with domestic violence in the Caribbean. This illustrates the reality that it is underreported and extensive research is needed to give more accurate representation of this phenomenon. The current paper also provides recommendations for male-sensitive practice.