'No man is an island'
This report explores men’s health and wellbeing not only as outcomes for men themselves, but through its wider impacts on partners, children, families and communities. As illustrated in Figure 2, men’s health, identity and behaviour sit within a broader social, cultural and economic context and can generate ripple effects across households, services and places. Health and wellbeing do not exist in isolation. Individual experiences are shaped by relationships, work, place and social norms, and in turn influence the wellbeing of others.
Men’s health impacts family functioning, women’s wellbeing and children’s outcomes across the life course. Where men experience poor physical or mental health, unstable employment or untreated substance use, the effects are rarely confined to the individual. Partners may experience increased emotional labour, financial insecurity or exposure to harm; children may experience instability, disrupted attachment or reduced access to protective relationships. Men also provide important role models for children, in how a man should act, what behaviour is acceptable and in how relationships should function. These impacts accumulate over time, contributing to intergenerational patterns of disadvantage.
Evidence presented this far highlights upstream drivers of family and population-level harm:
- work strain and insecure employment, which undermine identity, increase stress and reduce capacity for family participation
- mental ill-health, particularly where stigma and norms of self-reliance delay help-seeking
- substance misuse, frequently used as a coping mechanism for distress, trauma or economic insecurity
- justice system involvement, which disrupts family relationships, limits employment opportunities and increases long-term disadvantage
Improving men’s health is therefore not a zero-sum exercise, nor does it detract from addressing persistent inequalities faced by women. Rather, it is a population health intervention. By addressing the root causes of poor health and wellbeing in men, including economic insecurity, social isolation, stigma and barriers to support, there is potential to improve outcomes for women, reduce pressures on families and services, and support healthier developmental environments for children.
This chapter highlights the impact that poor wellbeing in men can have on partners and children.
Domestic abuse: prevalence and who is affected
Domestic abuse includes emotional, economic, sexual and physical abuse, as well as coercive and controlling behaviour. Interpreting domestic abuse data requires caution; it is a hidden harm, and reporting varies by severity, abuse type, stigma and service access. Official statistics are therefore likely to underestimate prevalence and need.
National survey data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales, (source: ONS) a household-based survey, for the year ending March 2025 show that domestic abuse is both common and strongly gendered. Nearly one in three women (29.6%) and over one in five men (21.8%) report experiencing domestic abuse since the age of 16. In the last year alone, 9.1% of women and 6.5% of men experienced domestic abuse.
The gender gap is most pronounced for the most severe forms of abuse. Sexual violence within domestic settings is reported at approximately four times the rate among women compared with men. Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation data for Cumberland indicate that four out of five clients in 2024 to 2025 (82.7%; 206) identified as female; 11.6% (29) identified as male. Gender is unknown for 4.8% (12). Physical violence and threats by a partner are around twice as common among women. Emotional abuse affects large numbers of both men and women, but remains more prevalent among women.
Patterns of sexual assault and stalking reinforce this divergence. Nationally, 25.6% of women have experienced sexual assault since the age of 16 compared with 5.9% of men. Rape or assault by penetration is reported by 8.2% of women compared with 0.7% of men. Nearly one in five women report experiencing stalking since age 16.
Risk varies according to demographic characteristics:
Age
Young men aged 16–19 report higher prevalence than young women (20.3% vs 15.7%), but from age 20 onwards women report consistently higher rates, peaking in women aged 20 to 24 (19.4% vs 6.7%).
Relationship status
Separated individuals face the highest risk of domestic abuse, particularly women (26.3% of separated women compared with 16.3% of separated men). Prevalence is also elevated among divorced individuals (17.1% of women and 14.8% of men). This is compared with 4.4% of married individuals.
Disability and ill health
Higher prevalence among disabled adults (14.5% women; 11.7% men) and among those long-term sick/ill (16.2% women; 12.6% men).
Care experience
Very high prevalence among care-experienced adults (29.1% women; 20.9% men), underlining intergenerational vulnerability.
Homelessness
Markedly higher prevalence among those who have ever experienced homelessness (25.0% women; 18.9% men).
Ethnicity
Higher reported prevalence among Black or Black British adults (12.8% women; 10.1% men) than White adults (9.1% women; 6.5% men), These differences may reflect intersecting structural inequalities and require culturally responsive support.
Sexual orientation and gender identity
Higher prevalence among LGBTQ+ groups, particularly bisexual women (23.4%), and among people whose gender identity differs from sex registered at birth (19.3% overall), highlighting intersectional vulnerability.