The Male Advice Line is managed by Men’s Development Network and is supported and funded by Tusla’s Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence section.
This National Freephone Service offers confidential support to men experiencing domestic abuse, operating across seven days and 42 hours per week.
Our service is staffed by six fully qualified Counsellors and Psychotherapists who have been specifically trained in this area of work.
Callers can be assured that at all times they will be treated with the utmost respect and confidentiality.
Our core objective is to ensure you are safe and that you can talk through what is happening to you without fear, shame or blame.
This service is also available to family and friends who may have concerns for a loved one and are seeking some guidance on how to help them.
You can complete and submit this form electronically online. Form can be part filled in and later completed or amended after submitting. Please send any queries to mal@mensnetwork.ie
Data Protection
Men’s Development Network, through the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation 2018 and the Irish Data Protection Act 2018, is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We wish to be transparent on how we process personal data and show you that we are accountable with the GDPR in relation to not only processing your data but ensuring you understand your rights as a client.
Your data will be processed only in ways compatible with the purposes for which it was given and as outlined in our Data Privacy Notice and this will be given to all our clients at the time of data collection. Please refer to our website www.mensnetwork.ie for information. If this medium is not suitable, we will ensure you can easily receive a hard copy. Please contact us at info@mensnetwork.ie if you have any concerns about how your personal data is handled.
If you are aware a child is in danger as a result of witnessing domestic abuse and if you have concerns about a child then contact Tusla here.
If you have immediate concerns about a child and it is outside office hours you can contact the Gardaí directly.
If you are the victim of a crime contact: https://victimassistance.ie/
As part of a Tusla-funded pilot initiative, Client Support Workers are in place around the country, with all 26 ROI counties covered*. Responding to referrals from the Male Advice Line and other services, their role is to provide practical on-the-ground assistance, building resilience and capacity among the men they engage with.
This remote, wraparound service involves case management, crisis intervention (including individual risk assessment and safety planning) and signposting to suitable supports.
Since its launch in May 2019, the Male Advice Line has helped hundreds of men to cope with abusive behaviour, which includes emotional and physical abuse, in their relationships. It also offers advice to family members or friends of people experiencing abuse.
However, many men on the receiving end in relationships remain reluctant or embarrassed to seek help. MAL supervisor Derek Smith says that “very often they opt to just accept their situation, rather than face the stigma of admission.”
After connecting with the Male Advice Line, men frequently gain a new perspective – realising that, as Derek puts it:
“This is a life situation; this is not their life. Our positive message is that ‘Things appear brighter when you open up.’”
The relief that comes with being listened to and feeling supported is followed by the need to plan a positive way forward.
This is where our Client Support Workers come in. On receiving referrals from MAL, they provide practical follow-up support, be it emotional, psychological, or simply feeling they have someone, physically, “in their corner”.
With that in mind, the Client Support Workers are on hand to advocate for clients in meetings with other agencies, including housing bodies, as well as providing medical, employment, education, and legal assistance, including court accompaniment.
Their role is to be responsive to clients and to support them in their journey.
Email mal@mensnetwork.ie for more information about this service.
