In the UK, public debate over gender equality often centres on women’s rights and protections. Yet, a growing number of voices are arguing that negative attitudes towards men, sometimes called misandry, are being normalised, leaving many male experiences overlooked or dismissed. From family court battles to domestic abuse support statistical trends, this issue is becoming harder to ignore.
The Legal System: Fathers, Courts and Controversy
One flashpoint in the debate has been the family courts. Critics argue that men can face bias in custody, contact and domestic dispute cases. While courts are guided by children’s best interests, historic presumptions about parental roles have been challenged. In 2025, the government announced an intention to remove the legal presumption that children should have contact with both parents, a change welcomed by some women’s rights groups as necessary to protect survivors of abuse but viewed by some fathers’ advocates as a move that could further marginalise men in custody disputes.
High-profile court decisions have also sparked controversy. In one recent case, a High Court judge ruled that a five‑year‑old must retain the surname of her father, despite him being convicted of raping her mother, on the basis of “heritage” and identity, a ruling criticised as giving undue weight to the abuser’s rights over the survivor’s welfare.
Supporters of reform point to systemic problems identified by legal watchdogs: a Domestic Abuse Commissioner report found that domestic abuse was present in nearly 90% of family court cases, yet courts sometimes failed to properly recognise or respond to it.
Domestic Abuse, Victims and Recognition
Domestic abuse is a major issue in the UK. Government data shows that in the year ending March 2025, approximately 2 million men experienced domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking, equating to around 8.4% of all men aged 16 or over.
Alongside this, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has updated public guidance to better support male victims of domestic abuse and other violent crimes, acknowledging that many men face unique barriers when reporting such experiences and seeking justice.
Despite this, campaigners argue that many male survivors feel invisible within UK policy frameworks. For years, crimes against male victims have been grouped under the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy, which charities say can make men feel overlooked, excluded and less likely to seek help. A representative from a male survivor support group told a UK media outlet that men often feel “ignored” because they are not specifically recognised in these classifications.
Statistics Highlight Under‑Recognition
Recent UK government and independent data reveal some of the trends shaping this debate:
- Men make up around 41–42% of all domestic abuse victims when partner abuse is considered, with significant numbers of current partner abuse victims being male.
- Only a small fraction of men who experience domestic abuse access support services — in the most recent figures, only about 3 % of those supported in safe accommodation were male.
- Men are less likely to report abuse in the first place, often due to stigma, shame, or disbelief they will be taken seriously.
Supporters of men’s advocacy argue that these figures reflect structural indifference rather than the true scale of male victimisation, lamenting a lack of dedicated services and public visibility.
Mental Health and Social Stereotypes
Beyond the legal and policy arenas, cultural attitudes also play a role. Men in the UK are disproportionately represented in suicide statistics and many mental health professionals link this to societal expectations that men must be stoic and not show vulnerability, attitudes that critics say are exacerbated by dismissive or hostile cultural narratives about men. While this is a complex issue influenced by many factors, advocates contend that misandric cultural tropes compound the reluctance men feel to seek help.
Balancing Gender Justice
Those sceptical of the term “misandry” argue that efforts to address male issues should not detract from tackling violence against women and girls, a real and pervasive problem and that many programmes for women are responses to longstanding societal imbalances. Yet men’s advocacy groups and some legal commentators insist that true gender equality must recognise and address harms experienced by all genders, not just women.
In conclusion, misandry in the UK remains a contentious and deeply polarised topic. On one hand, there are clear efforts by governments, courts and prosecutors to improve recognition of male victimisation and reform outdated practices. On the other hand, campaigners argue that systemic blind spots and cultural biases continue to disadvantage men, whether in family law, domestic abuse support, or public discourse.
As the national conversation about gender evolves, finding a balance that protects the vulnerable regardless of sex and does not marginalise any group will be crucial. Supporters on all sides agree that better recognition, data collection, services and respectful dialogue are needed if the UK is to achieve meaningful, inclusive gender justice.
