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The California Research Bureau reports that nearly 10% of people who seek domestic violence shelter services are men, and that one Los Angeles shelter in a predominantly gay/lesbian neighborhood reported even more male victims than female victims.
See www.library.ca.gov/crb/02/16/02-016.pdf.
That is without any outreach to men and without referrals services sending men to the shelters. We believe it would otherwise be much higher.
California Health & Safety Code Section 124250, which funds the DV programs in California, defines DV so only women can be victims. Male victims are literally shut out of state-funded and other services throughout the State including hotel vouchers, counseling, shelter and legal advocacy. The only known exception is Valley Oasis in Lancaster, where men travel hundreds of miles for shelter because nobody else will help them.
Declaration by former Valley Oasis' former director www.ncfmla.org/pdf/overberg.pdf
