Macron got slapped and the world laughed; this is why men don’t report abuse
Earlier today, a clip surfaced online showing French President, Emmanuel Macron being pushed on the cheek by his wife, Brigitte Macron. What should have sparked outrage, concern, and deep conversations around domestic violence was instead reduced to meme fodder and crude jokes. The reaction has been as swift as it has been disturbing: mockery, laughter, judgment, and the ever familiar chorus of “That’s what he gets for marrying his teacher.”
And just like that, a moment that should have highlighted a very real issue, domestic violence against men, was drowned in ridicule. No hashtags. No public outcry. No feminist organizations stepping forward. No nonprofit issuing a statement. Just silence. Deafening silence.
Abuse is abuse, regardless of the gender of the perpetrator or the victim. If the roles were reversed, if President Macron had slapped or pushed Brigitte Macron, there would be protests. There would be hashtags. There would be fire and fury from advocacy groups. The world would come to a standstill demanding accountability and protection for women, and rightly so. But when it is a man, a world leader no less, experiencing what can only be described as a moment of public humiliation and physical aggression, the same voices fall silent.
Why? Because society has normalized the idea that men are too strong to be victims. That their pain is comical. That their abuse is somehow deserved. And so, they suffer not just in silence but in isolation and shame.
President Macron has long been the subject of public scrutiny because of his marriage. This age gap, had the roles been reversed, would be celebrated as empowerment or love defying the odds. But for him, it is used as a weapon to justify abuse. And now, when a moment of violence occurs, it is brushed off with a laugh, as if his choices have made him unworthy of dignity or protection.
This is the very heart of the crisis. Men continue to die in silence because the world refuses to see them as victims. They are mocked when they cry out. They are told to “man up” when they break down. They are dismissed when they seek help. This stigma is not only cruel; it is deadly. Because behind the jokes are real men, fathers, brothers, sons, husbands, who endure violence every day with no one to fight for them, no one to believe them, and no safe space to heal.
Domestic violence affects men in ways that are deeply traumatic but rarely acknowledged. Male victims often experience depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal ideation. They are less likely to report abuse due to fear of not being believed or being seen as weak. Many have nowhere to go. There are far fewer shelters for men, far fewer support systems, and almost no targeted campaigns offering help. Men are suffering, and they are doing so alone.
We need more men’s initiatives, more safe houses, more trained professionals who understand the psychological and emotional toll of abuse on men. We need funding for shelters that serve male survivors, just as we fund shelters for women. These are not competing needs. They are shared needs. Human needs.
Mainstream media must rise above the culture of mockery and begin to treat violence against men as the serious issue it is. This is not a laughing matter. When men are assaulted, their experiences should not become viral punchlines. They should become urgent stories, stories that call us to confront our biases and open our eyes to the full scope of domestic abuse.
Governments also have a role to play. Policy must reflect the reality that domestic violence affects all genders. Funding for prevention, shelters, legal aid, and trauma support should be inclusive. It is unjust to pour millions into protecting women while completely overlooking the pain of men. Protection should never be selective. Support should never be conditional. If a government truly cares about the safety and mental health of its citizens, then male victims of abuse must be seen, heard, and supported with the same energy and investment.
President Macron’s case was domestic violence on full display, and it is not acceptable. The world watched it happen. And the world laughed. But one day, maybe not today, we must ask ourselves what kind of society we are building, one where men’s suffering is the punchline, or one where every victim matters. It is time we stop treating abuse as a gendered issue and start treating it as a human one. Because until we do, men will keep dying in silence, while the world keeps laughing.
Halima Layeni,
Men’s Mental Health Advocate
Executive Director
Life After Abuse Foundation
