Shame, stigma, and culture prevent male intimate partner violence survivors from seeking help, study finds

Heather Carroll — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 17:05:28 +0000

Shame, stigma, and culture prevent male intimate partner violence survivors from seeking help, study finds Heather Carroll Wed, 08/12/2026 - 13:05

91�� researchers found that barriers to help-seeking vary across racial and ethnic groups, highlighting gaps in support for male survivors.

Lyric Russo, postdoctoral researcher. Photo provided

Men are less likely than women to seek help after experiencing intimate partner violence, and new research from 91�� found that the main barriers include viewing it as a private matter, fear of retaliation, shame, and concerns about not being believed.

In this study, postdoctoral researcher Lyric Russo explored these barriers across racial and ethnic groups in order to address gaps in research in these underrepresented demographics.

“By centering men’s perspectives across racial and ethnic backgrounds, the findings support a more inclusive understanding of intimate partner violence and underscore the importance of trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and gender-inclusive interventions that broaden access to and engagement with existing services,” said Russo, first author on a paper recently published in Psychology of Men & Masculinities.

This study is among the first large-scale (nearly 1,200 men) U.S. studies to compare help-seeking barriers among non-Latino Black, Latino, and non-Latino White male victims of intimate partner violence. The study was led and paper co-authored by acclaimed male IPV researcher Denise Hines.

Why does this matter?

Denise Hines, Elisabeth Shirley Enochs Endowed Professor. Photo provided

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 44% of men report being victims of IPV, but many of these men are not receiving support, highlighting the significance of understanding barriers to seeking help.

“By identifying the challenges to seeking support, the findings can help inform more effective and inclusive services for diverse groups of male victims,” said Hines, Elisabeth Shirley Enochs Endowed Professor of Social Work.

“Without focused research, interventions, and support services may fail to reflect the experiences and needs of male victims,” said Russo.

What are the detailed study findings?

Across all racial and ethnic categories, viewing abuse as a private matter was the most common barrier to seeking help.
Latino men were significantly more likely to express concerns about shame or embarrassment being a barrier.
Black men were less likely to report concerns about not being believed.
White men were more likely to report difficulty in labeling their experiences as abuse.

Additional details

The paper, Barriers to Help-Seeking Among Male Victims of Female-Perpetrated Intimate Partner Violence: Insights from Black, Latino, and White Men, was published in Psychology of Men & Masculinities. The paper was selected as the July 2026 editor’s choice article and invited for a research feature on the APA Division 51 (Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinities) blog. It is available free of charge. Paper co-authors include Jennifer L. Mezzapelle of 91��, Chiara Sabina of Rutgers University, Kerry A. Lee of Bryn Mawr College, and Emily M. Douglas of Montclair State University.

thumbnail provided by Nadeem from AdobeStock

Key Takeaways

Across racial and ethnic groups, the main barriers to men seeking help for intimate partner violence are viewing it as a private matter, fear of retaliation, shame, and concerns about not being believed.
This study is among the first large-scale (nearly 2,000 men) U.S. studies to compare help-seeking barriers among non-Latino Black, Latino, and non-Latino White men victims of intimate partner violence.
By identifying the challenges that may prevent men from accessing intimate partner violence support, the findings can help inform more effective and inclusive services for male victims.

In This Story

Denise Hines, PhD

Topics

Intimate Partner Violence

College of Public Health

CPH research

SW research

Postdocs

A high-schooler's path to research, via George Mason

Heather Carroll — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 19:13:59 +0000

A high-schooler's path to research, via George Mason Heather Carroll Thu, 07/23/2026 - 15:13

Through a partnership between the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies and Thomas Jefferson High School, Bhavya Yendapalli conducted diabetes research, presented her findings nationally, and found a new interest in studying nutrition.

This month, Bhavya Yendapalli will stand beside her research poster at a national scientific conference, answering questions about a diabetes study she helped conduct at the 91�� College of Public Health.

Bhayva Yendapalli using the BodPod.

Only weeks earlier, she graduated from high school.

The opportunity began through Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology's research practicum program, which allows seniors to spend part of their school year conducting research with professional mentors. Yendapalli chose the lab of George Mason nutrition expert Martin Binks, who chairs the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies.

At first, the experience was intimidating. "I thought, 'I'm going to be with all these super smart people uncovering new things about the world,” Yendapalli said. “What can I contribute?'"

Bhayva Yendapall and Halide Aydin with the BodPod.

But Binks entrusted her with meaningful research responsibilities working alongside the lab's graduate students and postdoctoral researcher Halide Aydin, from interviewing participants and collecting data to helping write the study's research protocol.

"It taught me that there's always more to learn, and you can always contribute," said Yendapalli.

A year in the lab

Yendapalli sought out Binks' lab because diabetes hit close to home. Her father and other relatives have Type 2 diabetes, and she wanted to better understand the disease.

Working alongside the research team, Yendapalli investigated whether the timing and frequency of meals—not just what people eat—are associated with measures of metabolic health, including blood sugar levels, metabolism and body composition.

At the College of Public Health’s Celebration of Student Scholarship in April, Yendapalli became the first high school student to showcase her work at the event. She had never presented a scientific poster before, so Binks spent a few minutes explaining the basics and asked her to come back for a practice run. "She returned in 45 minutes, and I haven't seen it presented so well in my life," Binks said. "It was almost flawless."

Binks has mentored dozens of high school researchers over the years, first at Texas Tech University and now at George Mason, where he works with students from Thomas Jefferson and other local high schools, including Westfield and Madison. “When students come to work with us, it exposes them to what it takes to be a researcher," he said. "It helps them understand career paths, clarify whether they do or don't like the work."

After sharing her research at the American Society for Nutrition's annual meeting this month, Yendapalli will head to Cornell University to study human biology, health, and society. She said her year in Binks' lab sparked a lasting interest in nutrition and its role in health.

"My research experience at George Mason is the reason I chose this major," she said.

Thumbnail and story photos by Evan Cantwell

In This Story

Martin Binks PhD, MBA

Key Takeaways

Thomas Jefferson High School senior Bhavya Yendapalli joined a lab in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at the George Mason College of Public Health through a year long research practicum.
Yendapalli spent her senior year working alongside nutrition expert Martin Binks and his research team, contributing to a diabetes study and presenting the findings.
The experience inspired the high schooler to study nutrition and health at Cornell University.