Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Social Justice – in the Senedd at 2:03 pm on 9 November 2022.
Thank you, Minister, for that response. Presiding Officer, I ask this question whilst, of course, recognising that violence against women and girls in particular is far too prevalent in society, and, as men, we must challenge abuse and violence in all of its forms, and I agree with what's been said; I too was a White Ribbon ambassador for my previous organisation, and I'm happy to continue that in this one.
However, I want to use this question to raise an issue of men who are experiencing domestic abuse. Whilst it's not a topic that is often discussed, it too is an issue that occurs far too often in society. The Older People's Commissioner for Wales noted that around a quarter of people who experience abuse are male, and that male victims tend to be older, with the highest proportion of those affected aged 75 or over. Whilst organisations such as Both Parents Matter Cymru offer support, the report by the older people's commissioner found that men may be reluctant to seek help due to the stigma of being a male victim of abuse. The small number of domestic abuse services targeted specifically at men are under-resourced, meaning that the support that they're able to provide is often very limited. Minister, what action is the Welsh Government taking to raise wider awareness of abuse against men, and particularly older men? And how are you working with the commissioner and other public bodies to ensure that the adequate support services are available? And, finally, what consideration have you given to ensuring that a strategy to eradicate violence against men is put in place that can sit alongside the great work that is already happening to prevent violence against women and girls?