Men’s Alliance NI founder Carey Baxter met Health Minister Mike Nesbitt last week to press for dedicated services for male victims of domestic abuse. Officials from the departments of justice and communities also attended the meeting.

Baxter founded the organisation in 2018. It currently supports 2,300 men in Northern Ireland, with nearly 1,000 members active each day. The group also assists 3,000 men elsewhere in the UK and Ireland and supports 300 women affected by domestic violence against men.

PSNI figures for 2024/25 recorded 5,747 domestic abuse crimes with a male victim. One fifth of those cases resulted in a sanction outcome, defined as a charge, caution, or community resolution. Police data show one third of domestic abuse victims in Northern Ireland are men, most abused by female partners.

Police have urged male victims to report abuse, but Baxter said in practice men are often the ones removed from the property. No dedicated refuges or services exist for male victims in Northern Ireland. The group is campaigning for a six-bed facility. Baxter said men can end up living in cars, forests, or temporary accommodation.

Baxter reported that men contacting the group describe emotional, psychological, and physical abuse, including financial control and gaslighting. He said many men do not initially recognise their experiences as domestic abuse.

The group also provides support to the family of Tony Browne, who was murdered by his partner Wiktoria Maksymowicz in October 2022. Maksymowicz is serving a 14-year prison sentence.

Baxter linked the lack of support for male victims to Northern Ireland’s male suicide rate. He cited research indicating that 71 percent of male domestic abuse victims have suicidal thoughts. He said men often stay in abusive relationships to protect their children.