ictimized if they leave their spouse, there are many reasons why abused men stay in their violent homes. Abused men, like abused women, fear that if they leave their spouse, the abuse that they have encountered may be directed against their children. Additionally, many men are hesitant to leave since women get physical custody of children in a large majority of divorce cases. They may also fear that the courts will limit children visitation and access.Deciding to leave an abusive relationship is just one part of the problem for an abused male. Another part is choosing where to go since very few shelters exist for them to find refuge. A variety of programs exist to help abusive men control their violence more effectively, however, finding comparable programs that exists for violent women is an extreme challenge. Resources and facilities that deal with combating domestic violence are scarce due to the limited funding of social services. Therefore, it has been suggested that some women’s groups are fearful that the small amount of funds that exist for assisting abused women may be further lessened if the American public recognizes that men are also abuse victims. Recognizing men’s victimization does not mean that we must deny that women are victims. In fact, groups and agencies that assist abused women could also extend their services to aid battered men and vice versa. The health care system can play an important role as an intervention point. As changes take place in the manner by which health care is delivered, health service researchers have begun to examine ways of reaching out to individuals who require special attention or care, that are unable to obtain it. This approach has also been applied to domestic abuse victim health services. With the number of injuries hat domestic abuse causes annually, the health care system has begun to see itself as an important link in helping ht victims. The health care prof...
