Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic men’s experiences of gender-based violence, help-seeking behaviours and psychosocial interventions in the United Kingdom: a systematic review
T. Ike, D. Jidong, et al. • Frontiers in Public Health • 2026
BAME men's help-seeking for gender-based violence is impeded by barriers including masculinity norms, societal perceptions of men as abusers, religio-cultural factors, and victimisation from service providers, with persistent reliance on informal support and limited psychosocial interventions available in the UK.
Key Findings
Results
Sexual and physical abuse experienced by BAME men constitutes a significant form of gender-based violence in the UK context.
N=10 studies met the inclusion criteria from a search of six databases (PsycINFO, ProQuest Central, Scopus, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstract, PubMed, and Embase)
Studies were published between 2011 and June 2025
Sexual and physical abuse was identified as a key finding theme through thematic synthesis of the included studies
The review specifically examined BAME men's experiences as a distinct population within UK gender-based violence research
Results
Masculinity norms and societal perceptions of men as abusers rather than victims pose significant barriers to help-seeking among BAME men experiencing gender-based violence.
Masculinity was identified as one of the primary barrier themes through thematic analysis across the N=10 included studies
Societal perceptions that frame men as perpetrators rather than victims were specifically identified as a barrier
These barriers operated alongside other structural and cultural factors
The interaction of BAME identity with masculine norms was a specific focus of the review's synthesis
Results
Religio-cultural factors limit help-seeking behaviours among BAME men who have experienced gender-based violence.
Religio-cultural factors were identified as a distinct barrier category in the thematic analysis
These factors operated in addition to psychological effects of victimisation
The review found these barriers were specific to or compounded by BAME identity and cultural background
This finding emerged from synthesis across the 10 included UK-based studies
Results
BAME men who experience gender-based violence face victimisation from service providers, further limiting help-seeking.
Victimisation from service providers was identified as a distinct barrier theme
This finding suggests institutional or professional responses may re-traumatise or discourage BAME male victims
This barrier was identified within a UK service context
It was identified alongside psychological effects as a limiting factor in accessing formal support
Results
BAME men experiencing gender-based violence persistently rely on informal platforms for support rather than formal services.
Persistent recourse to informal platforms was identified as a key finding across the included studies
This pattern was found alongside a noted lack of formal psychosocial interventions
Informal support networks were utilised in the context of barriers to formal help-seeking
This finding was derived from thematic analysis of N=10 studies
Results
There is a notable lack of psychosocial interventions specifically targeting BAME men who have experienced gender-based violence in the UK.
Limited psychosocial interventions were identified as a key finding of the review
The absence of tailored interventions was identified despite documented need among BAME male GBV victims
The review identified a gap in published literature between 2011 and June 2025
The review called for culturally adapted psychosocial interventions to be developed and tested using randomised controlled trials
Background
A significant research gap exists in reviews of BAME men's experiences of gender-based violence, help-seeking, and psychosocial interventions in the UK.
Most existing GBV research focuses predominantly on women
Only N=10 studies met inclusion criteria from a broad search of six major databases covering 2011 to June 2025
The review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD420261280683) indicating it addressed a previously unreviewed area
Six databases were searched: PsycINFO, ProQuest Central, Scopus, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstract, PubMed, and Embase
What This Means
This research suggests that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) men in the United Kingdom who experience gender-based violence face a unique and largely overlooked set of challenges. When researchers reviewed all available studies published between 2011 and 2025, they found only 10 studies that specifically examined this group's experiences, highlighting how little attention this topic has received. The studies revealed that BAME men face multiple overlapping barriers when it comes to seeking help after experiencing sexual or physical abuse, including cultural and religious beliefs, expectations around masculinity, and the widespread social assumption that men are perpetrators of violence rather than victims.
The review also found that when BAME men do attempt to seek formal help, they sometimes experience negative or dismissive responses from service providers, which further discourages them from accessing support. As a result, many turn to informal networks — such as family, friends, or community members — rather than professional services. Compounding this, very few formal psychosocial support programmes exist that are designed with BAME men's specific cultural backgrounds in mind.
This research suggests that healthcare and social service systems in the UK need to develop culturally adapted mental health and wellbeing programmes specifically for BAME men who have experienced gender-based violence, and that these programmes should be rigorously tested through clinical trials to determine their effectiveness. The findings highlight a significant gap between the needs of this population and the support currently available to them.
T. Ike, D. Jidong, Nikki Carthy, C. Nwanzu, Laura Gair, C. K. Obi, et al.. (2026). Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic men’s experiences of gender-based violence, help-seeking behaviours and psychosocial interventions in the United Kingdom: a systematic review. Frontiers in Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1695675