Presenting some ground-breaking ideas, this book prompts a radical reappraisal of how we think about and understand male intimate abuse and violence. Over the last fifty years an array of resources and interventions have been brought to bear on domestic violence and abuse between intimate partners. Yet intimate abuse continues to be endemic in our society. One of the principal reasons for this lack of effective intervention is that we have ignored a critical ingredient which is the foundation of long-term intimate abuse and violence. This book uncovers the layers of covert tactics which men employ to establish and maintain control over their intimate partner. By deepening our understanding of what is going on the author suggests that we can develop a more efficient and consistent response to the issue. Working with both the perpetrators and victims of intimate partner abuse has given the author a unique insight into the tactics employed by the male abuser. He suggests that male intimate abuse and violence are driven by an entitlement to sexual priority and that the other tactics of control and violence are motivated by this entitlement. It is this motivation that distinguishes male intimate violence from other forms of 'domestic violence' such as female to male violence and elder abuse. The author details the similarities in tactics and motivation between the paedophile and the male intimate abuser. He has found that by explaining these tactics to victims he has released many of them from the mind-control that they have experienced.

"Violence remains preventable, not inevitable." So says Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, the WHO Regional Director for Europe. Dr. Kluge has called for more action to be taken in every country that has seen a surge in domestic violence during the coronavirus pandemic. If steps are not taken, the world could see 31 million cases of gender-based violence, he warned. This stark warning is an indictment of our failure, in Europe and elsewhere, to reduce the level of male intimate abuse, in spite of the extraordinary energy and dedication of thousands of practitioners and academics. In this challenging book, Don Hennessy examines our practices and procedures, our attitudes and our beliefs. He demonstrates how we have made few inroads in this area - either into the prevalence of male intimate abuse, or in relation to the tactics that support the ability of the male intimate abuser to establish and maintain his control. It is vital that all agencies, both statutory and non-governmental, recognize that we need to change our position from one of support to one of protection. The protection that Hennessy promotes is not that of the physical refuge alone, but the mental safeguard which will allow each target woman to follow her own intuition. How He Wins is essential reading for any woman who has been the target of such abuse and has found herself abandoned by the community.