In a day and age where equality is still a question most are still fighting for women, while we should start fighting for men. They need advocates as well.

This is not about success or how much money they make. This is about relationships or even encounters with women. We hear about women and children shelters or see hotlines for rape and domestic assault victims for women.

What about men? Men can be raped and abused as well. They just do not talk about it or seek help as often. Why is that? Well because they do not have as many resources. It could also be because men are supposed to be big, strong, tough guys who do not get hurt as easily. This is not the case. Men CAN be raped just as women. Men CAN be abused just as women. It is 2016; a lot has been accomplished.

Things people thought would never happen have happened. Yet most do not take men seriously on this very serious subject. A large percentage rape or domestic violence victims are in fact men. The numbers are significantly high yet those are not even all of them. Think. Have you heard of men shelters? Have you heard of a woman (18 or older) going to prison for raping a man (18 or older)? You probably have not. Even when it is a teen (15 or older) male and a (20 or older) female people just assume he wanted it because he is a male. It is just in his nature to want to be with an older woman, right? This is hardly ever the case.

If that male is gay do you really think he would want to be forced to be with a woman? Even if he is not gay just because he is a male does NOT mean he wants this to happen to him. Also women can be just as mean if not more so. There are men out there who are sensitive and end up being abused by a woman.

There was a story circulating on Facebook about a boyfriend being badly beaten by the girlfriend in front of their child yet she got custody of the child. He was too scared to call the cops because he didn’t think they would believe him. Women abusers will say the man hit them first which is not always the case. Police, family, and friends take sides with the woman especially when there is a child involved. This is a problem. Men need help as well. We need to start asking proper questions. “Why did this happen?” “Is he okay?” “Does he need help?” “Do we know the full truth?”

This is a change that needs to happen.