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Domestic Abuse Against Men in Scotland
APPENDIX B - RE-ESTIMATING RATES OF MALE VICTIMISATION
There are two factors that make it difficult to estimate the rates of domestic abuse for men, taking into account the high number of 'refuters'. First, the numbers we are dealing with are particularly small, making it difficult to make any statistically sound inferences. Second, there were eleven men in our sub-sample who had been recorded in the SCS self-completion questionnaire as having experienced force or threats from a partner within the last twelve months. Of these eleven, six turned out to be refuters. This inaccuracy in the last twelve months figures has a 'knock-on' effect on the statistics for experiences of force or threat ever. This is because the lifetime statistics are based on a composite of 'before 1 st January 1999' and 'post-1 st January 1999' incidents.
In MacPherson's report it states that, "8 per cent…of men reported having experienced either threats or force" (2002: 10). We obtained follow-up information regarding 44 of the original group of 90 men who had reported some form of 'threats or force' to the SCS. Of these 44 men, only 33 reported having actually suffered some form of classifiable 'threats or force', which equates to 75 per cent of the sample. On this basis, we estimate that only 75 per cent (n=68) of the original sample of 90 men will have experienced some form of 'domestic abuse'. The recalculation of 68 men as a percentage of the original sample (n=1,201) equates to five point seven per cent of the male population having ever been subjected to threats or force from their partner or ex-partner, compared to MacPherson's eight per cent estimate.
Using similar calculations to those described above we set about guesstimating the annual rates of threatening or forceful behaviour against men by a partner or ex-partner. Our 'best' guesstimates are as follows:
- Five per cent of men in Scotland experience force at some point in their lifetime from a partner or ex-partner (compared with MacPherson's figure of seven per cent).
- Slightly less than four per cent (3.7 per cent) of men in Scotland experience threats from a partner at some point in their lifetime (compared with MacPherson's figure of six per cent).
- Nearly six per cent (5.7%) of the Scottish male population aged between 16-59 have ever experienced threats or force from a partner (compared with MacPherson's figure of eight per cent).
- Three and a half per cent of men in Scotland have experienced both threats and force from a partner at some point in their lifetime (compared with MacPherson's figure of five per cent).
Modifying MacPherson's calculations to take account of our findings, we guesstimate that:
- Slightly over one per cent (1.2 per cent) of men had experienced threats within the twelve months before the SCS (2000) interviews were conducted (compared with MacPherson's figure of two per cent).
- Around one per cent (1.3 per cent) of men had experienced force within the twelve months before the SCS (2000) interviews were conducted (compared with MacPherson's figure of two per cent).
- One and a half per cent of men had experienced either threats or force within the twelve months before the SCS (2000) interviews were conducted (compared with MacPherson's figure of three per cent).
- Slightly over one per cent (1.1 per cent) of men had experienced both threats and force within the twelve months before the SCS (2000) interviews were conducted (compared with MacPherson's figure of two per cent).
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