The Police Service of Northern Ireland has launched a campaign called Every Victim Matters in partnership with the Men’s Advisory Project to encourage male victims of domestic abuse to seek support.

Police figures show that 5,817 domestic abuse crimes against men were recorded in Northern Ireland between April 2025 and March 2026. Men accounted for 32% of all domestic abuse victims during that period. The sanction rate for those crimes was around 19%, meaning a charge or caution was issued in roughly one in five cases.

Detective Superintendent Kerry Brennan said officers regularly encounter men who feel unable to speak out. She stated that abuse does not discriminate by gender and that a male victim does not make the crime any less serious. She urged men to report abuse, saying that speaking up is not a weakness but a step toward reclaiming control.

Rhonda Lusty, chief executive of the Men’s Advisory Project, said the charity supports more than 1,000 men and boys affected by domestic abuse each year. She noted that many men live with abuse, coercive control, fear and isolation for a long time before telling anyone. She emphasised that domestic abuse can happen to any man, that it is not always physical, and that the consequences can be life-changing or life-ending. Her message was that men can contact the police or the charity.

Justice Minister Naomi Long expressed support for the campaign, describing the decision to speak up as the first step in recovery. She said the campaign would raise awareness that men are affected by intimate partner abuse and should never feel ashamed or unable to seek help.

The campaign highlights issues including coercive control, emotional abuse and controlling behaviours, which are often less visible but equally harmful.