Violence against men in Kurdistan hits "shocking” levels in early 2026
Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah
The Kurdistan Region of Iraq recorded 186 complaints of violence against men between January 1 and April 15, 2026, alongside 27 suicides and six killings linked to family disputes, the secretary of the Kurdistan Men's Union, Burhan Ali, told Shafaq News on Saturday.
The Kurdistan Region recorded 611 cases of violence against men in 2025, a 14 percent increase compared to 2024, with Ali attributing the continuing rise to a combination of economic pressure, delayed salary payments in the Kurdistan Region, the influence of social media on family dynamics, and interference by extended family members —particularly in-laws— in domestic disputes.
“Growing financial strain has raised tension levels within households, pushing some conflicts toward violence or tragic outcomes.”
Read more: Fearing social stigma, Iraqi men suffer domestic violence in silence
