Call for male-only refuges for victims of domestic abuse

Male victims of domestic violence are having to travel up to 150 miles to receive help, a charity has revealed.

Police figures show the number of men reporting as victims of domestic violence has more than doubled since 2012.

The charity Mankind Initiative is now calling for a network of male-only refuges funded by local housing authorities.

Police in England and Wales recorded 149,248 incidents reported by men in 2017, up from 72,157 in 2012. One in four reported victims of domestic violence is now male.

In some cases, men are forced to flee the family home with their children in tow, only to find that they are unable to stay in hostels or refuges because of their gender, campaigners warned.

The charity said some men are being forced to travel more than 150 miles to get help.

There are only 20 beds earmarked for male survivors of domestic abuse, compared to 3,600 dedicated to female victims.