Men among the hidden victims of domestic violence

While most people think of domestic violence as being a problem between a male perpetrator and a female victim, there are other, less-noticed victims of abuse, according to those who counsel victims of abuse in San Joaquin County.

In fact, men and children are also victims of abuse, with children being the ones to suffer at an early age, according to counselors in the county.

The problem of men being victims is underreported, according to Dennis Newlin, director of youth and clinical services for San Joaquin County's Center for Positive Prevention Alternatives. Newlin said of the 300 clients being counseled by his agency, one-third of them are men.

Even with the statistics, he feels there is still controversy about how prevalent male abuse really is.

While the majority of domestic violence cases are still men abusing women, Newlin said women can just be as violent as men when it comes to domestic violence.

"They'll take a frying pan and club him over the head," Newlin said. "Or they'll stab him or shoot him."

Sometimes a woman is retaliating against the man for earlier domestic violence, he said. Other times it's just that the relationship is immersed in violence which escalates.

Newlin didn't have local statistics about how often those types of assaults turn deadly. And, calls to the county's District Attorney's Office domestic violence unit for information on countywide statistics were not returned.

However, according to the state's Attorney General Web site, in 2003 there were three domestic violence cases that ended in homicides in San Joaquin County. That was the same number that died in 2002 in the county, according to the AG's Web site.

And although people still shake their heads with disbelief that men can be victims of abuse or domestic violence, Newlin said things are changing.

"People are becoming aware of it."

Contact reporter Les Mahler at lmahler@sjnsnews.com.