Men's Advisory Project

03/02/2026

There is growing concern about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital tools to create or manipulate images of children and young people in s*xualised or harmful ways.

This involves altering existing photos or creating entirely new AI generated s*xual abuse content. These images can look very real even when they are fake, and this can be extremely distressing for those involved.

Some young people may misuse AI to create n**e or s*xualised images of others, sometimes
thinking it is a joke, trying to embarrass someone, or not realising the harm it can cause.

Taking, possessing or sharing n**e or s*xualised images of anyone under 18, including images created using AI, is illegal and is classed as child s*xual abuse material.

Please remind your child not to
create or share any images that could harm someone or break the law, to think carefully before
posting online, and to speak to you if anything worries them.

If your child has been affected by harmful or manipulated images, or has been involved in creating
or sharing them, please speak to your school, college or youth club safeguarding lead, or contact
the police for advice.

If an offence has been committed, the police will respond sensitively and consider all circumstances.

The law is there to protect all young people from harm.

Steps you should take:

*Talk to your young person
*Avoid assuming they know the risks.
*Have an open conversation and remind your young person to
pause and think carefully before posting, sharing or accepting images online.
*Discuss the use of AI, respecting others and what the law is.

Support and reassurance
*Encourage your young person to speak to you or another adult they trust immediately if they see anything online that worries them.

Seek help if needed
*If your young person has been affected by harmful or manipulated images or has been involved in creating, sharing or being in possession of an image, remain calm and seek support:

Contact your school, college or club safeguarding lead or the Police for advice.

Police Service of Northern Ireland
NSPCC Northern Ireland

23/01/2026

Yesterday we were glad to have been invited, with representatives of other specialist organisations supporting victims of abuse, to attend a meeting with the Department of Justice.
We learned a great deal about how restorative justice measures work elsewhere and were supported in our learning by experts in experience and academic learning.
It is clear that our Justice department want to safely provide choice and to ensure victim survivors have a greater voice and input into their justice journey.

If you are a man who has experienced domestic abuse and you would like to explore how restorative justice might be appropriate in your case if available or to discuss how you feel about restorative justice measures for other male victims of domestic abuse - we'd love to hear from you.

We represent the views of male victims of abuse and we always want to hear from as a wide a group of men as possible. We want to ensure that the most nuanced information is provided to government to build the best consultation responses on laws and to help us ensure the most thoughtful policies and practices are put in place.

23/01/2026

How can you tell if it is coercive control? Do you speak freely and act without fear? No?
Get specialist, trained, help from MAP♡

23/01/2026

Watch people's actions not their words. Actions always uncover abusers.
Then get some help from trained specialists - MAP♡

19/01/2026

Not all s*xual violence looks like physical force, sometimes it's quiet, manipulative, and called s*xual or reproductive coercion.

Sexual coercion uses pressure, threats, or manipulation to force s*x or s*xual acts. It can be part of a longer grooming process or pressure used in one form or another until s*x or a s*xual act is carried out.

Sexual acts without freely given, ongoing and enthusiastic consent are s*xual crimes. Coerced consent is not consent. This does not change with relationship status. Lack of consent is always a crime, no matter who the abuser is.

Reproductive coercion includes tactics like sabotaging birth control or pressuring someone around pregnancy.

Both are forms of power and control that strip away autonomy and can often happen inside abusive relationships.

This matters. For everyone. This isn't something that only happens to women and girls. Knowing about coercion and s*x can help you to understand your rights, protect yourself or support someone else.

Please share if you think someone else could do with hearing or thinking about this differently.

15/01/2026

*With full permission granted and published as written*

I wanted to share a bit of my story, in case it helps someone else.
My name is Tony. I’m a dad from the Dungannon area, and my children and I have lived through domestic abuse.

For a long time, I didn’t see myself as a victim, I was worried about them only. I just tried to keep going and look after my kids.
At the start of all of this, it was very hard to face how I was treated when I first asked for help. That was painful and knocked my confidence even more.
But the hardest part of all has been seeing the effect the abuse had on my children. That’s something no dad ever wants to see, and it’s very hard to carry. It took time for me to really understand how much it had got to them.

Things began to change when I got in touch with the Men’s Advisory Project. That was the first time I felt somebody had a clue what was what. They helped me understand what I had been through and were just with me and were never off the phone making sure other people helped us too.

I’m also very thankful to Child And Adolescent Mental Health Services and to Social Services and the Police Mid Ulster. Once everyone started working together, the focus was on me and my children and what we needed.
That made a big difference.
Having people smile, listening, believing us helped us move forward.
What I’ve learned is that recovery takes time. It’s not a sprint, it’s a long long haul.
It’s important you get a good team around you. There will be hard days, but with the right people and good support, things get better.

If you’re a dad reading this and it sounds familiar, please know you’re not alone, and help is out there. Give them a go!

Tony knows we remain here and in his corner for as long as it takes. We really appreciated him writing this to help other dads out in his situation.

Northern Ireland Assembly Northern Ireland Executive BASW Northern Ireland Police Service of Northern Ireland

13/01/2026

Men are vulnerable to abuse across the age spectrum from boyhood to older age.
We hope these men and the others still to come forward all are getting the support and help they need.
Well done to Police Service of Northern Ireland and PPS for bringing this case and gaining the evidence and supporting the victims as needed to get to this stage.

⚖️ PPS FILE ON CONVICTED BIGAMIST ACCUSED OF USING DATING APPS TO TARGET VULNERABLE MEN SENT TO CENTRAL SECTION

The PPS file relating to a convicted bigamist accused targeting vulnerable men has been transferred to a different section due to the volume of papers, a court heard today (Mon).

Belfast Magistrates Court also heard that although the full file in relation to Lisa Jane Davies had been due by 29 December, “it has not come in yet,” a prosecutor told the court.

She added that the file ought to be complete by 9 February and that in the meantime, it has been reallocated “to the central section.”

When District Judge Steven Keown asked why the file was allocated to a different section, the PPS lawyer told him the central section “deals with large volume files.”

Davies, originally from Wales but with an address at Gregg Street in Lisburn, is charged with a total of 13 offences, alleged to have been committed against three men, between August 2021 and 26 June 2024.

Giving evidence to the court when the defendant was initially charged in November, a police officer outlined how the investigation began as a result of a press report in 2024 and after Davies allegedly lied to a solicitor to obtain a non-molestation order (NMO).

At that stage, the constable told the court that according to the police case, Davies “over a number of years has entered into various relationships with older, vulnerable men” having met them through social media and dating apps.

The court heard allegations that having met the alleged victims through dating apps, Davies “will usually move in with them within a short period of time.”

Police had uncovered how Davies, “has used a number of different aliases and false employment status, claiming to be a nurse or doctor.”

Taking each of the men in turn, the officer said that during a relationship with ‘victim one,’ Davies damaged his phone, plates and glasses.

Turning to ‘victim two,’ she claimed that he was subjected to “coercive control and actual bodily harm” during the course of their two-year relationship.

“The defendant made the victim believe she was a doctor when, in fact, she was an admin assistant,” said the officer, adding that Davies also made the victim believe they were married when they were not.

“It was actually a ceremony of commitment,” the court heard.

The officer described that during the relationship, Davies has allegedly “taken blood from the victim and injected him with what she said was a flu injection.”

The third complainant, the court heard, was also allegedly subjected to coercive control, in addition to witness intimidation and theft.

The court heard that Davies and this man were married but that throughout, “the relationship has been coercive and abusive” and similar to ‘victim two,’ she led him to believe she was a doctor.

He had given a statement to police alleging that she had assaulted him but according to the police case, Davies threatened him and he subsequently withdrew the statement.

In other alleged offending, said the officer, Davies is accused of providing false information to Sky in order to secure a credit agreement, and she failed to disclose a conviction for bigamy in 2016 to Platinum Recruitment.

While working for the Belfast Trust, Davies allegedly “gained unlawful access to the medical records of victim number three, printed the record and presented it to him.”

In relation to victim three, Davies allegedly lied to her former solicitor in order to obtain an emergency NMO which was subsequently granted and served on the alleged victim.

“The defendant has form for using multiple aliases, with numerous passports and addresses throughout the UK,” said the officer.

In court today (Mon) Judge Keown released Davies on continuing bail and adjourned the case to 9 February.

ENDS
Copy by Paul Higgins
Photo: Defendant Lisa Davies

✍️ Factual, impartial and committed to open justice.

12/01/2026

📢 Representation Matters 📢

When BBC News NI report on Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) statistics on domestic abuse, it’s important to remember: those figures relate to both men and women.

Domestic abuse coverage is once again illustrated using only an image of a woman. This has real consequences to victims and society.

Research consistently shows that men who experience domestic abuse often feel unseen, unheard, and unsupported.
When male victims are erased from public imagery and discussion, harmful stereotypes about domestic abuse are reinforced.

Men and boys can be victims. They suffer terribly from abuse. Men and boys deserve to be seen, recognised and supported.

We are calling on media outlets, including BBC News NI, to take a more balanced and responsible approach when reporting on domestic abuse statistics.

Inclusive reporting saves lives by helping all victims see themselves and seek help.

If you’re a man affected by domestic abuse, you are not alone, you and your experience matters.

Men's Advisory Project (MAP) is a registered charity offering help to abused men across all of NI.

12/01/2026

The number of domestic-abuse related calls to the Police Service of Northern Ireland over the Christmas period has again risen.

Police received 1407 calls from 20 December 2025 to 2 January 2026, an increase of 117 from the year before (1290).

Detective Superintendent Kerry Brennan said the figures show that domestic abuse "does not pause for the holidays, and in many cases the risk actually increases".

The highest recorded number of calls was made on New Year's Day (1 January 2026) when 116 reports were made to the PSNI.
On Christmas Day 115 calls were made.

Domestic abusers do not care about holidays or making memories. As always it is about their needs, how they want them met and any excuse they can get to cause trouble.

Many men reached out to us over the holidays. Few men had ever engaged with police, no matter how clearly they were being abused. No matter the risk level they were living with.

We need to do more to encourage men to come forward and get the help they need. We need focussed strategies to do just that.

02/01/2026

A really strong coercive control message. This works to explain the abuse of any victim, at any age.
Please seek help and support. We are here to help and believe you.

Thanks to Derry & Strabane PCSP

24/12/2025

Well, that's us closed for the holiday break....what a year it has been.
With thanks to the men who have trusted us again this year. We have learned a lot and hope that you have felt seen, listened to, felt safer and were well supported by us.

We want to also thank our staff, volunteers, supervisors, counsellors, students, survivor’s groups, Trustees and the funders of the Men's Advisory Project.

Remember
Christmas and the holidays do not cause abuse, abusers do.
All they are ever looking for is an excuse for their terrible choices....
You are worth more ♡

Please know specialist support is still available 24/7 over the holiday period.

📲☎️
Police Service of Northern Ireland on 999 or 101
Domestic & Sexual Abuse Helpline
Housing Executive

Make sure to call us and leave a message too or email us on info@mapni.co.uk

You are never alone - Lifeline offers support by letting you speak to a trained therapist from your first call.
Councillor Tracy Kelly Lord Mayor of Belfast Department of Health NI Gordon Lyons MLA Communities NI Robbie Butler MLA Danny Donnelly - Alliance Colm Gildernew MLA Linda Dillon MLA Diane Forsythe MLA Northern Ireland Assembly Naomi Long

12/12/2025

How to regain control or the feeling you are regaining control - post a relationship with an abuser.

Focus on behaviour, not emotion

Do not engage in discussions about whether they are abusive. They have every excuse under the sun and will try to make you believe you are to blame for everything they do to grind you down.

1. Focus solely on the impact of their actions.

Be specific and factual: Instead of saying, "You seem angry/abusive and are bullying or threatening me," say, "When you interrupt me/constantly text me/ shout or scream at me [action], it prevents me from ....[impact]"

Use "I" Statements: Frame discussions around your experience to keep the focus on the situation: "I need to be able to finish my work without interruption to meet this deadline."

2. Set clear and consistent boundaries
Bullying and abusive behaviours often push or stretch boundaries. Re-establish and enforce yours consistently.

Communicate clearly: If they speak over you, calmly state, "I was not finished speaking. Please let me finish this point".

Maintain composure: Bullies and abusers often feed off emotional reactions. Practice staying calm and composed.

Practice "Grey Rock": Keep your interactions to a bare minimum, polite, to the point and transactional. Provide minimal personal information and emotion to make you a less rewarding target for their behaviours.
Practice STOP and only observe how you are feeling and the impact their behaviour is having on you. Do not react emotionally.

3. Document everything
Documentation is your most powerful tool, especially if you need to involve police or social services to protect you and others. Keep a detailed, private log of all abusive and controlling interactions.

Log Incidents: Record the date, time, location, what was said (verbatim if possible), who witnessed it, and the impact the behaviour had on you or others in your company or care.
Log incidents with Police.
Log incidents with the Men's Advisory Project.
Speak to your GP about these behaviours and the impact they are having on you.

Communicate via email: Shift important communications to email or if this is not possible to messaging, whenever possible. This creates a paper trail and ensures expectations are clear and well documented.

4. Manage the interactions
Keep it in public: Try to have necessary conversations in public places, ideally well covered by CCTV, door bell cams or dash cams and within earshot of others, this can sometimes curb the worst of violent and abusive behaviours .

Limit contact: Interact with the abuser only when absolutely necessary to do so.

5. Seek support and guidance
You do not have to handle this situation alone.
Talk to specialists: Once you have a log of documentation showing a pattern of behaviours that negatively impact on you and your functioning, approach the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
Present the documented incidents factually as abuse.

Seek external advice: Talk to a trusted colleague, or specialist professional counsellor to help you manage the stress and develop effective coping mechanisms.
The key is to remain composed, prioritise documentation, and protect your own well-being while seeking official channels to manage an unmanageable and abusive personality.

You can get 24hr support from Domestic & Sexual Abuse Helpline Housing Executive and of course PSNI.
Also please call MAP and leave a message or email us for help and support on info@mapni.co.uk