Like many men, when I got married I had a dream of how it would look. Be a great husband and father who provides for and protects his family. What I hadn’t accounted for was abuse. Mental, psychological, financial and physical. All things I would have to endure in order to continue to be a husband and dad. My vision held strong. Husband, family, our daughter. I needed to fix this. But I was losing myself, too confused to see reality for what it really was. Work suffered and I was living scared. Then one night, after a particularly violent physical attack, I reacted. This is not who I am, nor who I want to be. What happens when male targets of domestic violence seek help? I came to find out there weren’t many options. Then, a person very dear to me referred me to the Canadian Centre for Men and Families. The support I received from the Men’s Peer Support Group, and understanding the nature of my experiences and a way to move forward, are immeasurable. Honestly, I don’t know where I’d be without CCMF. What I do know is the support and education they’ve provided have had a tremendous impact on my daughter and me.
