A ‘GROUND-breaking’ Bradford-based service to help male victims of domestic abuse says it hopes to expand if future funding allows due to demand for its services.

Men Reaching Out, based at the BEAP Community Partnership, Manningham, is the first South Asian male domestic abuse provision in the UK.

It offers a telephone helpline, one-to-one support and a peer support group service, which are run by a team of volunteers.

The service, which launched in September last year, found 31 to 45 is the most common age for victims of domestic abuse, according to its calls so far.

It reported most of the calls it received were from Muslim Pakistani and Bangladeshi men.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Shummel Uddin, engagement worker for Men Reaching Out, speaks at the launch event in Bradford Shummel Uddin, engagement worker for Men Reaching Out, speaks at the launch event in Bradford

Men Reaching Out held an official launch event in Bradford on Tuesday, attended by domestic abuse officers from West Yorkshire Police, Bradford Council and representatives from district housing group Incommunities.

Humayun Islam, Men Reaching Out service manager, says the service is open weekdays between 9am and 5pm, but hopes to expand to evenings and weekends in the future if it can secure funding.

He said: “It’s only going to grow. We are the only service of this kind in the UK, that specialises in South Asian male victims of domestic abuse.

It’s ground-breaking that it’s in Bradford

“It’s about working collaboratively with others like the police, housing services and victim support.

“We can then signpost a person to the relevant service as soon as they need to be.

“They feel that they are confident to share their story and trust us that we believe them. That’s what is crucial for us.

“We want a weekend and evening service. We are weekdays 9am to 5pm at the moment.

“The held the launch event to showcase what we’re doing.

“Male victims of domestic abuse is still a taboo subject. We want to change society’s perspective.”

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: A leaflet explaining how to contact Men Reaching Out A leaflet explaining how to contact Men Reaching Out

Mark Brooks, chairman of the ManKind initiative, a Somerset-based confidential helpline available for male victims of domestic abuse and domestic violence, who spoke at the launch event, praised the work of Men Reaching Out.

He said: “It is ground-breaking, it’s the first service to specialist helpline for South Asian men who are facing domestic abuse in the whole of the UK. It’s brilliant that it is in Bradford.”

Men Reaching Out last year secured £115,000, spread over three years, from the Henry Smith charity following a successful application by its bosses.

Any victims of male domestic violence can contact Men Reaching Out by emailing menreaching1@gmail.com or call its confidential helpline at 01274 731020.