Behind Closed Doors: Rajat’s Silent Battle with Domestic Abuse

Rajat never thought he’d be the one hiding bruises.

He was 34, a bank manager in Pune, married for five years. On the outside, his life looked picture-perfect — decent job, educated wife, an apartment with framed wedding photos and a well-watered money plant in the balcony.

But inside those walls, his reality was very different.

It started small. A slap during an argument about groceries. Apologies, tears, promises. Then it escalated — scratches, objects thrown, nights locked out on the balcony. When Rajat tried to stand up for himself, he was met with mockery:
“A man complaining about a woman? Who’ll believe you?”

So he stopped talking.

He stopped going to family gatherings. He smiled less at work. When a colleague noticed a cut on his face and asked, he said it was a bike accident. Who would understand that he, a man, was being emotionally and physically abused by his wife?

When he finally googled “Can men be victims of domestic violence?” the search results shocked him — not because the answer was yes, but because the silence around it was so loud.

He reached out to a helpline for men. It took him three weeks to make the first call.

Through legal aid and counselling, Rajat eventually filed a complaint — not out of revenge, but for release. He moved out. He started therapy. He slowly began telling his truth — first to his cousin, then his best friend, and later to a support group for male survivors.

Today, Rajat is rebuilding.

He speaks anonymously at forums about domestic abuse, hoping his voice will help another man step out of fear. He often says,
“Abuse has no gender. But neither should silence.”

Rajat’s story doesn’t end with rescue — it begins with recognition.

Why This Story Matters

In a world where masculinity is defined by silence and strength, stories like Rajat’s break the stereotype. Domestic violence against men exists — and it deserves space, support, and justice.