Fathers’ experiences of help-seeking and support needs for themselves and their children following domestic violence and abuse: a qualitative study

Pell, Bethan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0786-6339, Howarth, Emma, Bacchus, Loraine, Buckley, Kelly ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8862-3776, Burn, Anne-Marie, Evans, Rhiannon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0239-6331 and Moore, Graham ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6136-3978 2026. Fathers’ experiences of help-seeking and support needs for themselves and their children following domestic violence and abuse: a qualitative study. Journal of Family Violence 10.1007/s10896-026-01063-8

PDF - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB)

Abstract

Purpose A growing body of literature highlights multiple barriers for men seeking help following experiences of Domestic Abuse (DA). Men’s intersectional identity as fathers may result in additional barriers to help-seeking, leading to unmet needs for themselves and their children. The current study explored fathers’ experiences of help-seeking, access to support, and existing provision, to understand what type of intervention support could, in principle, be feasible, acceptable and effective in meeting their needs. Methods This was a qualitative sub-study nested within a feasibility trial of a domestic abuse intervention targeting mothers and children. We recruited and undertook semi-structured interviews with fathers (n = 5) who self-identified as victims of DA through a men’s service and social media adverts, and analyzed the data using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Results We generated five themes: (1) Male identity and self-acceptance of victim status, (2) The intersection of fatherhood with men’s identity as a victim of DA, (3) Recognition of DA against fathers by professionals, (4) Impacts of DA and subsequent separation from children and (5) Getting help for children. Men discussed challenges in accepting their own victim status alongside a masculine identity, as well as their intersectional identity as fathers. Additionally, they reported challenges in the recognition and acceptance of their identity as a victim by professionals, which impacted support provision for themselves and their children. Conclusions This study provides an insight into the range of fathers’ perceived barriers to help-seeking, which in turn, were perceived to influence subsequent support and intervention needs for themselves and their children. We make practical recommendations for future research into service response and intervention development aimed at supporting the recovery of fathers and their children following these experiences.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education) Research Institutes & Centres > Centre For Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions for Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer) Research Institutes & Centres > Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health (WCYPMH)
Publisher:	Springer Science and Business Media LLC
ISSN:	0885-7482
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	16 March 2026
Date of Acceptance:	2 February 2026
Last Modified:	16 Mar 2026 12:01
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/185779

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item