As a U.S. immigration lawyer, I can tell you that male survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) are often left out of the conversation for a variety of social, cultural, and legal reasons. First, our society often assumes that if men are physically stronger (which they are biologically), that means they are the abusers themselves. In immigration scenarios where the balance of power shifts to the person with the U.S. status (citizenship or even permanent residence), the weaker position could be the man’s.
The misconception comes from the deeply ingrained historical gender roles and stereotypes. This perception fails to account for the reality that men and boys can also be victims of sexual violence, domestic violence, and gender-based persecution, but they may face unique barriers when seeking support or recognition.
One of the biggest reasons male survivors are overlooked is the stigma surrounding masculinity. Men often are too ashamed to complain or report female violence against them. They are afraid of looking foolish. They are worried they will not be believed. I had a client once who went to the ER after his wife punched him in the eye and hit him on the back of the head with a frying pan, dislocating his eye retina. Nothing in the hospital notes, which I had to obtain later for his VAWA case, mentioned that this was a result of domestic violence. Even though he reported this happened at home, and his wife was the aggressor (he found photos on her phone of her cheating with someone over a long period of time), no social worker came to speak to him, and he was not offered any resources as the hospitals normally do for women survivors.
Additionally, there’s often a lack of resources or services specifically tailored to male survivors of SGBV, further marginalizing their needs.
In the context of immigration law, male survivors may also face challenges when seeking asylum or protection. Even with more restrictions coming from this administration in immigration and the narrowing of the social groups for women and children, many legal frameworks and protections are still predominantly designed with women and children in mind, which can make it harder for men to prove they’ve faced violence based on their gender or sexual orientation. For example, LGBTQ men fleeing homophobic violence in their home country (for being gay, or trans, or implication that he may be gay) often struggle to meet the criteria for asylum if the system doesn’t adequately recognize or address his sexual orientation or the gendered nature of his persecution.
Men often cannot find a safe place to leave their abusive home for. There are many fewer men’s homeless shelters than those for women and families. Based on 2024 AIBM data, men account for roughly 60% of the total homeless population (approx. 460,000) while women account for 40% (approx. 303,000), resulting in a roughly 2:3 ratio of women to men. However, women are more likely to be sheltered (72%) than men (60%), and 84% of families in shelters are headed by women. https://www.greendoors.org/facts/family-homelessness.php
It is critical that the immigration legal and advocacy communities begin to create more inclusive frameworks that consider male survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. By doing so, we can ensure that all survivors, regardless of gender, have access to the protection and support they need.
If you are a man suffering in silence in an abusive situation, call Shepelsky Law Group today at (718)769-6352 or book your consultation directly at at Shepelskylaw.Cliogrow.com/Book