Mankind Initiative
Encyclopedia
The ManKind Initiative is a domestic violence
charity based in the United Kingdom
and is at the forefront of providing support for male victims of domestic abuse and violence. Since becoming a charity in 2001, it has provided a helpline
, training and support for statutory agencies (primarily the police and local authorities) and campaigns to ensure that equal recognition is given to male victims in the same way that recognition is given to female victims of domestic abuse. It is one of only a few charities in the country to help male victims.
The organisation is based in Taunton
and was founded in 2001. There are regional branches in London
and the South East
, South West
, Wales
, and the West Midlands
.
The organisation is committed to challenging harmful gender based domestic violence policies and ensuring help is available to all, regardless of gender
, race or sexual orientation
. It strongly believes men and women should work together to tackle the issue of domestic violence, that gender politics need to be removed from the issue and victims should be treated as individuals.
for male victims across the UK, which is available Monday to Friday during the daytime and evening.. It refers victims to relevant services or accommodation that might be available to them. The organisation campaigns for recognition of male victims, provision of domestic violence shelters for men and seeks more services at a local level.
The organisation has been increasingly successful in recent times in beginning to highlight the plight of male victims and change attitudes towards domestic violence. Notable successes include forcing retailer Superdrug
to withdraw products promoting domestic violence against men..
It regularly appears in the media and notable media successes have included helping the BBC
produce coverage on the subject including on Radio 1 , Radio 4 and The One Show . It has also appeared on GMTV, The Sun and Channel 4.
It also regularly challenges the authorities to ensure they do not forget the plight of male victims. Recent campaigns include challenging the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, the Crown Prosecution Service and Mayor of London .
The organisation receives no government support, relying on donations. Funding partners include: The Tudor Trust, The Lankelly Chase Trust, The Nationwide Foundation
, The National Lottery
, The Royal Agricultural College
, Newman University College
, Weston-Super-Mare Carnival and Hogg Robinson.
(founder of the world first domestic violence shelters), Lord Cotter, John Penrose MP and Liz Lynne
MEP.
It has six trustees and the Chairman is Mark Brooks.
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
charity based in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and is at the forefront of providing support for male victims of domestic abuse and violence. Since becoming a charity in 2001, it has provided a helpline
Helpline
A helpline was originally a telephone service which offers help to those who call. Many helpline services now offer more than telephone support - offering access to information, advice or customer service via telephone, email, web or SMS....
, training and support for statutory agencies (primarily the police and local authorities) and campaigns to ensure that equal recognition is given to male victims in the same way that recognition is given to female victims of domestic abuse. It is one of only a few charities in the country to help male victims.
The organisation is based in Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
and was founded in 2001. There are regional branches in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and the South East
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
, South West
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
.
Objectives
The ManKind Initiative believes that support should be provided to male victims of domestic violence in that all victims of domestic violence and abuse should be catered for. It rejects the gender based approach to the issue used by the government, local authorities and police and instead demonstrates that domestic violence can happen to anyone and is a societal and family problem.The organisation is committed to challenging harmful gender based domestic violence policies and ensuring help is available to all, regardless of gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
, race or sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
. It strongly believes men and women should work together to tackle the issue of domestic violence, that gender politics need to be removed from the issue and victims should be treated as individuals.
Activities
The ManKind Initiative runs a helplineHelpline
A helpline was originally a telephone service which offers help to those who call. Many helpline services now offer more than telephone support - offering access to information, advice or customer service via telephone, email, web or SMS....
for male victims across the UK, which is available Monday to Friday during the daytime and evening.. It refers victims to relevant services or accommodation that might be available to them. The organisation campaigns for recognition of male victims, provision of domestic violence shelters for men and seeks more services at a local level.
The organisation has been increasingly successful in recent times in beginning to highlight the plight of male victims and change attitudes towards domestic violence. Notable successes include forcing retailer Superdrug
Superdrug
Superdrug Stores PLC is Britain's second-largest beauty and health retailer behind Boots. Superdrug - part of the AS Watson Group which in turn is part of the Hong Kong conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa - is a UK based company with over 890 stores, which since 2006, includes the Republic of Ireland...
to withdraw products promoting domestic violence against men..
It regularly appears in the media and notable media successes have included helping the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
produce coverage on the subject including on Radio 1 , Radio 4 and The One Show . It has also appeared on GMTV, The Sun and Channel 4.
It also regularly challenges the authorities to ensure they do not forget the plight of male victims. Recent campaigns include challenging the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, the Crown Prosecution Service and Mayor of London .
Funding
The ManKind Initiative has four part-time staff who work alongside volunteers. It receives little funding, with an income of only £49,938 in 2010.The organisation receives no government support, relying on donations. Funding partners include: The Tudor Trust, The Lankelly Chase Trust, The Nationwide Foundation
Nationwide Building Society
Nationwide Building Society is a British building society, and is the largest in the world. It has its headquarters in Swindon, England, and maintains significant administration centres in Bournemouth and Northampton...
, The National Lottery
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
, The Royal Agricultural College
Royal Agricultural College
The Royal Agricultural College is a higher education institution located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, UK. Established in 1845, it was the first agricultural college in the English speaking world...
, Newman University College
Newman University College
Newman University College is a university college offering academic degrees and teacher training in Birmingham, England.Known as Newman College of Higher Education until January 2008, it has the highest employment of graduates rate of UK universities and is in the top 25% of UK universities for...
, Weston-Super-Mare Carnival and Hogg Robinson.
Patrons and Supporters
The organisation's patrons include Erin PizzeyErin Pizzey
Erin Patria Margaret Pizzey is a British family care activist and a best-selling novelist. She became internationally famous for having started one of the first Women's refuges in the modern world, Chiswick Women's Aid, in 1971, the organisation known today as Refuge...
(founder of the world first domestic violence shelters), Lord Cotter, John Penrose MP and Liz Lynne
Liz Lynne
Elizabeth Lynne, known as Liz Lynne, is a British politician, and has been a Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands for the Liberal Democrats since her election at the 1999 European election...
MEP.
It has six trustees and the Chairman is Mark Brooks.