Is Jay Z a Battered Man?

By Janna Andrews | May 20, 2014 | Fitness

Health Diva Dr. Janna Andrews explores the “Battered Man” syndrome after the Jay Z and Solange elevator incident.

I watched the Solange vs. Jay Z video and I’m ashamed to admit I was slightly amused, but mostly perplexed. Not that physical violence is ever a laughing matter. The video just didnΓÇÖt seem real; what possible reason could Solange have to attack her brother-in law, and why was BeyonceΓÇÖs reaction so subdued? Social media jumped on the opportunity to capitalize and poke fun at the shocking video. But very few sites have honed in on the issue at hand-which is domestic violence against men.

Violence against men is not as rare as one would think. A male is the victim 40 percent of the time, and 830,000 men are victims of domestic violence per year. That means a man is battered every 37.8 seconds. Abuse doesnΓÇÖt have to be physical; it can also be emotional or verbal.

Men are potentially less likely to report being victims of domestic violence, often due to gender-related stereotypes and fear of embarrassment. In the courts, less female abusers are convicted compared to male abusers. While there are more than 4000 programs that female victims can turn to for help, very few offer their same services to men.

Checking my own reaction of the video attack, I believe that this wasn’t the first time Jay Z was on the receiving end of Solange’s range. Though I doubt that Jay Z wants to be the poster child for battered men, his image being battered by his sister-in law has opened important dialogue. Now we can talk about many men who suffer in silence often too embarrassed or isolated to reach out and ask for help.

For men that need help, there is the Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men: 1-888-7HELPLINE.

photo credit: Beyonce.com