Men in Macedonia increasingly report and admit that they have been victims of domestic violence. In the public, there is a strong emphasis on the women as victims of domestic violence, but the data clearly show that the stronger sex,as well, faces this problem, but rarely seeks for help.
According to statistics of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, of all domestic violence cases reported last year, 90 percent of victims are women. But in the total number of the reported cases - 1,120, a total of 177 are men. The remaining 142 are children as victims of domestic violence, and the largest number - 810 are women.
The NGOs say that the number of men who report having been molested within the family circles is increasing.
The organization "Voice Against Violence" say most perpetrators of domestic violence against men are also men, or fathers who abuse their sons, grandchildren who mistreat their grandfathers, etc., and in the rare cases when women engage violence against men.
This is proved by the data of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, according to which, last year 724 men were perpetrators of domestic violence, and much less, 74 women have committed domestic violence. Last year two children perpetrators of domestic violence were also registered.
Last weekend a Skopje woman stabbed her husband with a knife because he got on her nerves, and in Kavadarci a wife had bitten her husband.
Thirty-two-year-old man from Skopje was stabbed by his wife in a family feud. The case was reported to the police by the doctors who had helped the man, and the incident happened in Jurija in the settlement Gjorce Petrov.
Police said N.D. suffered a severe injury on the chest so he was kept in intensive care at the General Hospital "St. Naum Ohridski".
In the latter case, the husband filed a criminal complaint against his wife. As T.I. (46) from Kavadarci explained to the police, his wife Z.I. (41) entered the house and started throwing objects at him and she inflicted injuries on his head and body. The wife, despite that she hit him, she has also bitten him on the thumb of the left hand.
In order to save himself and end the physical altercation, her husband pushed her.
Hours before the man appeared in the police, a criminal complaint was filed against him by his wife for a criminal act of bodily injury.
Men rarely report violence
Although it happens, men rarely report violence committed against them. However, encouraging are the data we received from relevant institutions and NGOs that their number recently increased.
Family Center of the City of Skopje, which offers free psychosocial support and treatment of victims and perpetrators of domestic violence, said that the number of men seeking help increased.
Hence they explained that most men victims were sent to them after they applied to the Center for social work, but there are men who report by themselves and the number is growing.
Family Center is working with the whole family in which a violence has occurred. Psychotherapy, which is free, lasts four months.
"First, an interview is made with the victim to make an initial assessment of the reported violence and the overall condition. If there is a need, the applicants are sent for medical or other necessary assistance. Services at the Family Center are offered by a professional team of psychotherapists who through a psychosocial treatment based on proper technique of psychotherapy work strengthens all family members individually", the Family Center clarified.
They say that psychological and physical violence are equally prevalent, and there is an economic violence also. This means that the offender does not enable the victim to have financial resources or is forcing the victim to raise a bank loan, and the offender takes the money.
The Center works every day from 12 to 8 pm. Client admission is performed during the working hours. All services are free and are offered for the whole family, ie counseling is available for victims of domestic violence, for perpetrators of domestic violence and for children who are part of the family in which domestic violence occurs or was performed,or are victims of domestic violence.
Figures of the Women's Organization of the City of Skopje say about the increasing of the percentage of men reporting they have been bullied.
At the debate "Making domestic violence visible" held recently, the organization complained that their conferences and debates are not attended by men although they call on their phones.
"And not only that, but their number is increasing. It is shown by the calls on our freephone SOS line. From 5 percent in past years, recent years the calls where men are victims of domestic violence have increased to 9 percent. They do not feel ashamed, share their problems with and seek help", according to the Organization.
The stronger sex should be encouraged and to get rid of the shame and fear of prejudice and the judgmental environment. There are many ways to confront the abuser in the family, and the first step is to report the bullying.
All victims, regardless of gender, may require assistance on the free SOS lines 02/15 700 02/15 315 that are open 24 hours.
National Council for Gender Equality introduced a free mobile SOS line for victims of domestic violence. The line operates through the three mobile operators: 070/ 141-700, 075/141 - 700 and 077/ 141-700, for the whole territory of the country and operates 24/7.