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Of the women who seek help at Women's Refuge in New Zealand, 90% report experiencing psychological abuse compared with 65% who report experiencing physical violence.

On this website I am writing about, and from, the perspectives of my Masters research, my PhD research, and related experiences in my consulting work.

That means I am currently discussing two main issues:
1. Heterosexual men who perpetrate emotional abuse and control against their female partners, and
2. Heterosexual women who have survived these same behaviours.

In New Zealand about 92% of all applications for protection orders are made by women.
Police records, crime surveys and hospital records show that men’s intimate partner abuse against women is far more common than women’s abuse against male partners. Research shows similar patterns world-wide. Women are more likely to experience repeated ongoing abuse, and greater levels of fear than do men who experience violence by female partners. Research from USA shows that women are seven to ten times more likely to be seriously injured by their male partner than men are by female partners. These high numbers reflect the imbalance of power relations embedded in our social structures.

The issues of fear, harm and the ongoing repetitive use of power and control are vital factors that have to be taken into account when considering the issue of who abuses who.
I write blogs to explain the ‘ins and outs’ of gender issues, including international statistics and I shall be adding more as time allows.

I know that men living with female partners experience physical, sexual and psychological abuse, as do men and women living with same-sex partners. In due course I will write from these other perspectives.

Meanwhile, I will not accept any comments, or other communications, pointing out that this website is biased in this regard.