1 in 5 US Men Physically Abuse Partners

One in five Americans admiited to assaulting their partner or spouse, a new research by the University of Michigan reveals.

Victims of physical abuse mostly experience mental issues following the assault. If not addressed on time, it might cause more damage. The Centers for Disease Control statistics reveal that almost three in every 10 women and one in 10 men in the United States experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner.

The current research found that certain conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, substance abuse and witnessing violence as a child significantly increases the risk of domestic violence.

The research was done using data from the National Comorbidity Survey-Replication that examined violence by spouse or partner. The latest study involved 580 men living in America with an average age of 42.

The team also assessed the characteristics among male perpetrators from 2001 to 2003.

"When people think of men who abuse their partners, they often think of violent people who they have never come across, or people they have only heard about in the news," said lead author Vijay Singh, M.D., MPH, MS, a clinical lecturer in the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School.

"However, our study showed one out of every five men in the U.S. reported physical violence toward an intimate partner. It's likely that we've all met these men in our daily environment. This is an issue that cuts across all communities, regardless of race, income, or any other demographics," Singh said.

Researchers said that the findings reveal that men who physically assault their significant others seek routine medical services, and have physical symptoms that are common reasons patients seek medical care. "This suggests that we may be missing an important opportunity in the primary care setting to identify their aggressive behavior and potentially intervene," Singh said.

Friends and family of the physical abuse victim can help them cope with the distress by offering support, respecting their decision and not blaming them for the attacks.

The findings of the study are published in The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.