The Women's Resource Centre (WRC) is seeing an increase in the number of men that are reporting domestic abuse, Hamilton Rotary Club members heard on Tuesday.

WRC Court Advocate Susan Moore-Williams said most of the men that came into the centre were suffering from mental abuse, but several cases of physical abuse had also been reported.

Mrs. Williams said: "The majority of people that seek protection orders and help from the Women's Resource Centre are women, but a few men have come through our doors.

"In most cases, they are reluctant to report the incident to Police or seek the courts' protection.

"They feel that their case will not be given the attention and recognition it deserves in court.'' Mrs. Williams described Bermuda as a multicultural Country with people who had different views based on religion, cultural customs, values and/or beliefs.

"Here in Bermuda, we still bring up our boys different to our girls,'' she said.

"If a girl is having a problem at school, we tell her to go tell the teacher.

"If a boy is having the same problem, we tell him to settle it with his fists.

"We don't even stop to think about this.'' She added that boys were brought up to believe that they were inherently superior because they were male.

Mrs. Williams said: "We are not teaching them that they are equal but different. We need to teach them that each role has its own value.'' She said many men were taught that they should take care of their own business, by what ever means necessary.

"We are teaching our girls that no matter how successful you are professionally, you have failed if you are not married and that you are only as good as what a man can give you,'' she said.

She added that this type of upbringing and behaviour encouraged domestic abuse.

"Today the role of men and women are in a state of flux,'' she said.

"There are more women in the workplace taking up positions of power in a predominantly male sphere. Men are exercising their right to play more of a role in their children's lives. They are taking paternity leave and in some cases electing to stay home with their children.'' She added that there was a need in Bermuda to help women and men come to terms with the challenges they were facing in these shifting roles.

Often this state of flux could create stress and strain that led to retaliation and domestic abuse.

One way suggested of dealing with this was to foster men's relationships with other men.

Talking with women could often be helpful, she said, but noted that women had a different perspective.

"It is critical that we ensure equality under the law,'' Mrs. Williams continued. "The law is written in a way that it is gender neutral.

"Anyone that suffers physical, emotional or psychological abuse can seek protection.

"It is important to disseminate information in order for people to know what rights they have under the law and what laws are there to protect them.

HEALTH HTH