Date

5-20-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)

Chair

Catherine Packer Williams

Keywords

domestic, violence, victims, barriers, male, stigmatization

Disciplines

Counseling

Abstract

Domestic violence (DV) among male victims is increasingly prevalent today, and it has a tremendous effect on both male and female victims. DV has had a lasting negative impact on the overall well-being of the male victims, and it has caused them to experience physical, emotional, and psychological distress. DV does not discriminate against race, gender, cultural background, economic or educational status. While there are a vast number of studies on DV, male victims are considered perpetrators instead of victims. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe male domestic violence victims' experiences with domestic violence in rural West Alabama. This study identified the voices that have not been heard and those unnoticed by society. The guiding theory for this research study was Goffman’s (1963) Stigma Theory, which recognized how victims of domestic violence are influenced, labeled, and discredited by society. More specifically, this study illuminates the experiences of the male victims of domestic violence as well as the type of abuse, the extent of the abuse, and the stigmatization that male victims encounter. The researcher examined the barriers that male victims have experienced from social services, police officers, and society. This phenomenological study has identified and described the nature of domestic violence experienced by eight males. These men indicated the type of abuse experienced (physical, psychological, or sexual abuse). The dataset examined data obtained from structured and standardized interviews with the subjects. This study’s aim was to identify the needs of these eight males and gain insight into the types of interventions needed. This study served as a springboard for critical assessment and identification of these needs. The focus of this study was on the need for intervention and equality among all victims of domestic violence.

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