“No way out”: NEW prosecution statement confronts the silent struggle faced by male victims as one shares his story

Adam (not his real name) was in a 16-year-long relationship with his wife and abuser before she was convicted of controlling or coercive behaviour in summer 2025.

He is one of thousands of male victims of crime last year who has survived not only domestic abuse but also overcome the societal stigma of who a victim can be.

Today, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has launched a new Male Victims Statement to tackle the unique obstacles faced by men and boys like Adam when reporting a crime. This new statement builds on the first-ever statement published in 2017.

Co-produced with survivors, male support organisations and victim advocates’, this is a statement developed in partnership with those it impacts most.

It is a statement designed to improve how male victims of domestic abuse, rape, sexual offences, stalking, forced marriage, ‘honour’-based abuse, child abuse, prostitution, human trafficking focusing on sexual exploitation, pornography and obscenity receive justice.

These crimes are mostly committed by men on women, and this statement contributes to the consistent, system-wide approach required to deliver justice for all victims.

Adam has chosen to share his story to give other men and women who may be experiencing domestic abuse, or other forms of abuse, the confidence to come forward.

Graham Ritchie, Deputy Director of Strategy and Policy at the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Male victims and survivors have long suffered in silence. A feeling that there is no way out or that men and boys can’t be subjected to abuse, in the same way that women are, is all too common, and we have had to have this conversation one too many times.

“Today, we listen to those survivors with our renewed statement detailing how we will tackle the unique challenges faced by men in a society which tells them they cannot be victims.

“This statement of intent puts the CPS on the front foot to shifting the dial and addressing this societal issue within criminal prosecutions and beyond, ensuring no man’s experience is overlooked.

“It is not just about policy – it is about changing culture, improving trust, and making sure all victims of crime, regardless of their gender, receive the high standard of justice delivery they deserve.”

For over seven years of their relationship, Adam was subjected to a campaign of abuse from his wife following her dependency on alcohol – he felt her whole mood change.

Exclusive CPS data released today, shows that in the past year, over three in every 20 charges which related to domestic abuse involved a male victim like Adam.

Adam was subjected to continuous degradation, with his abuser calling him names and swearing at him.

Photographs and videos were shown in court of the injuries Adam suffered following acts of physical violence, including when his wife kicked, punched, scratched and bit him.

She used household objects as weapons to inflict pain and suffering, as well as destroyed parts of their home, including by setting items on fire. In one instance, she stubbed a cigarette out on him.

Her abuse included stopping Adam from sleeping, only allowing him to get two or three hours per night.

She isolated him from his family and even took away his phone to stop him contacting them.

Adam’s wife was reported to the police by a family member after he told them of one specific attack on the phone after it happened.

As well as controlling or coercive behaviour, Adam’s wife was convicted of two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. She was sentenced to over two years imprisonment with a 10-year restraining order.

Why this matters

With expectations placed on men in society, many survivors may not recognise their experience as abuse.

Many survivors feel isolated, with few stories of others reflected being told. Shame, fear or disbelief contribute to the unique and wide-ranging obstacles to reporting faced by victims like Adam, leading to often under-reported abuse.

This is despite over 9,000 men being victims of domestic abuse-related charges, and over 500 men being victims of rape-related charges in the year ending June 2025. In the same period, over one in 10 of ‘honour’-based abuse-related charges were against men or boys.

Under-reporting can be especially prevalent for crimes which are usually committed by men on women, like physical or emotional acts of domestic abuse, including coercive or controlling behaviour. These include cases of domestic abuse, such as in Adam’s experience, as well as rape, other sexual offences, ‘honour’-based abuse, stalking, harassment and online offences.

The CPS has listened to the experiences of male survivors and heard opinions from those who work closely with them to develop a uniquely collaborative document aiming to change how prosecutors challenge toxic gender norms within justice delivery.

Mark Brooks OBE, Chair of The ManKind Initiative, said: “We are pleased that the CPS continues to fully recognise male victims of domestic abuse and similar types of inter-personal crimes against men.

“This landmark statement will give more men the confidence to come forward, improve the understanding within the legal system of the challenges they face and ensure more receive the justice they deserve.

“The CPS has also worked positively with organisations supporting men in these difficult areas and in recognising male experience and challenges in their own right. This is further proof of that strong commitment and relationship.”

Duncan Craig OBE, the Chief Executive Officer of We Are Survivors, said: “As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, of rape, and of sexual exploitation, not being seen is at the heart of the silence one is forced into. I understand why society focuses on women and girls as victims but that should never be at the expense of seeing others, people like me, male survivors.

“Visibility means everything and that isn’t just about being seen, it’s about being valued.

“In the development of this statement, the CPS have taken so much care to really involve us in a way that others should but rarely do. Not only do I feel seen, but I feel that the ideas, opinions and knowledge from my lived experience is as important to them as it is to me, its priceless.”

Solicitor General Ellie Reeves MP, said: “Abuse and violence are never acceptable. This government is committed to supporting all victims, including men and boys who face barriers in coming forward.

“The CPS is committed to continually improving how they support victims, and I welcome this updated Male Victims Statement, developed in partnership with survivors. This will help challenge harmful misconceptions and build confidence that every victim will be taken seriously.”

Claire Waxman OBE, Victims' Commissioner designate, said: “Nobody facing abuse should suffer in silence; every victim deserves to be seen and heard. However, we know that male survivors face unique challenges. Harmful misconceptions and stereotypes, including around masculinity, can act as significant barriers to accessing the justice and support they deserve.

“I welcome the CPS approach of co-producing this refreshed Male Victims Statement in partnership with survivors and specialist organisations. By working directly with survivors to challenge these deep-rooted misconceptions, the CPS is taking vital steps to ensure that our justice system is accessible, fair, and supportive for every victim, regardless of gender.”

The statement will improve understanding amongst prosecutors of the unique challenges faced by male victims and encourage an adapted approach to ensure all victims are supported.

With the aim of building victim confidence to report and trust in the prosecution process, the CPS has committed to updating guidance for prosecutors to identify specific misconceptions and assumptions, including an upcoming comprehensive update of Rape and Serious Sexual Offices Prosecution Guidance.

New training will be delivered to help prosecutors understand the unique issues male victims face. This will help them to identify the best case-building tools and make sure the right support is put in place at the earliest opportunity.

This comes alongside the National Operating Model (NOM) for adult rape which is already being implemented nationally to make sure prosecutors look at the suspect’s actions, not the victim’s, in all rape or serious sexual offence cases. The NOM is designed to embed the learnings of Operation Soteria.

With our new Rape Action Plan, we will take proactive steps to supporting and upskilling our people, as well as implementing enhanced assurance procedures to enable real-time intervention in legal decision-making with immediate feedback. This will make sure the strongest possible cases are built from the outset to present to a jury, using principles from the NOM consistently across England and Wales.

The CPS will continue to work closely with criminal justice partners to review how data is shared and used to improve the system-wide response for these victims.

Relationships will also be further strengthened with national men’s groups, including the ManKind Initiative and We Are Survivors, to inform improvements.