Singapore recorded 337 spousal violence cases involving male victims in 2025, marking a 12% increase from 302 cases in 2024, according to the latest Domestic Violence Trends Report, released on Oct 29 by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). Abused husbands accounted for about one in five spousal violence cases that year, highlighting shifting reporting patterns across domestic abuse categories.
Rise in Spousal and Elder Abuse Cases
The MSF report provided a gender breakdown of spousal violence cases for the first time, revealing that wives represented 82% of victims in 2025 while husbands accounted for 18%. Overall, lower-risk Tier 1 spousal violence cases rose 23% over a two-year period, climbing from 1,560 cases in 2023 to 1,871 in 2024 and reaching 1,920 in 2025. More than half of all abused spouses were in their 30s or 40s.
Physical violence remained the most common primary form of abuse, affecting about two in three victims across categories. Emotional and psychological abuse ranked as the second most frequent primary form. Across all domestic abuse categories, lower-risk Tier 1 cases totaled 4,686 in 2025, compared with 4,527 in 2024 and 3,918 in 2023, according to AsiaOne.com.
Did You Know? The MSF Protective Service investigated 1,917 higher-risk Tier 2 child abuse cases in 2025, with the majority of victims aged seven to 12, as reported by AsiaOne.com.
Abused seniors also saw an increase, with lower-risk Tier 1 elder abuse cases rising 26% to 290 in 2025, up from 230 in 2023 and 283 in 2024. Two in three abused seniors were women. High-risk Tier 2 vulnerable adult cases—referring to individuals aged 18 and older unable to protect themselves due to mental or physical disabilities—rose from 65 in 2023 to 70 in 2024 and 104 in 2025.
Social Worker Insights on Under-Reporting
Social workers noted that men frequently under-report abuse by their wives due to shame and traditional expectations surrounding male behavior. However, professionals believe that growing awareness of emotional abuse and coercive control may encourage more men to seek help before situations escalate.
Besides physical assaults such as being hit, scratched, or having objects thrown at them, male victims often endure emotional and psychological torment. Cherylene Aw, senior director at TRANS Family Services, stated that husbands may face constant belittlement, humiliation, threats, and restricted contact with others. Anne Chui, head of Allkin Family Service Centre@Ang Mo Kio 230, added that men often minimize early incidents as ordinary marital disagreements until safety concerns arise or children are affected.
Regarding elder abuse, Aw explained that complex factors drive the trend, including longstanding family conflict, caregiving stress, and financial pressures faced by adult children caring for dependent seniors. The National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH) received 16,525 reports in 2025, representing a nearly 50% increase from 11,068 reports in 2024, as noted by AsiaOne.com.
Spousal violence cases involving husbands rose to 337 in 2025
How many spousal violence cases involved husbands in 2025?
There were 337 spousal violence cases in 2025 where the victim was a husband, representing a 12% increase from the 302 cases recorded in 2024.
What was the total number of Tier 1 lower-risk spousal abuse cases in 2025?
Tier 1 spousal violence cases reached 1,920 in 2025, compared to 1,871 cases in 2024 and 1,560 cases in 2023.
How many reports did the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline receive?
According to AsiaOne.com, the NAVH helpline received 16,525 reports in 2025, marking an increase from 11,068 reports in 2024.
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