Peter Edwards, 50, argued that double standards surrounding domestic violence made his brother, David, 51 (left) vulnerable

Double standards surrounding domestic violence are making male victims vulnerable, according to the brother of a man stabbed to death by his wife.

Lawyer Peter Edwards, 50, argued that the belief that men must not use force against women, even in self defence, means they struggle to get the help they need to combat domestic abuse.

And the shame attached to their treatment stops them from alerting family or friends - even when their lives are in danger.

Last August, Mr Edwards' brother, David Edwards, 51, was murdered by his wife after suffering over a year of physical and mental torture.

More than 60 old wounds were found on David's body, and he was killed just weeks after their wedding.

Speaking to The Times, Peter, who is also a lawyer, said: 'My brother would never have raised his hand to a woman.

'There are a lot of men like him and that means they are leaving themselves in a position of vulnerability.

'He had told her that he would never hit her, even in self defence, and she had gloated about it, used it to try and provoke him.

'But, bless him; it's just something that he would not have done.'

It was reported that Sharon Edwards, 42, had 'liked the idea of being a solicitor's wife' and finally killed her lawyer husband after he was made redundant.

She was jailed for life earlier this week.

But unfortunately this isn't a rare case and 19 men are still killed each year by their partners or exes.

This is still a relatively small figure when compared to how around two women are murdered each week as a result of domestic abuse.

Nevertheless, Peter Edwards believes that there needs to be a better support system in place for men.

And that professionals trained to look for the signs of domestic violence, such as police, need to be more thorough in their assessments.

Although David reported his abuse to at least one doctor and one nurse on an A&E visit, no action was taken after he was referred to a domestic violence unit.

David Edwards (left) was murdered by his wife, Sharon Edwards, 42, (right) last August after suffering more than a year of mental and physical abuse

Mrs Edwards stabbed her husband to death with a knife (pictured) when she found out that he had lost his job as a lawyer

The lawyer died at his house in Chorely, Lancashire (pictured) on 23 August 2015. Police intervened when Mrs Edwards attacked David on the night before he died

Equally, local police in Chorley, Lancashire, knew where the couple lived and were called to the house several times.

Jurors heard that on the evening before the fatal attack, Mr Edwards was found in the bathroom bleeding from his chest and leg by Edwards' 19-year-old daughter.

She had confronted her mother - who was, like her partner, a heavy drinker, and who had earlier bought four bottles of wine from an off licence. Edwards told her daughter that she had not intended to hurt him.

Mr Edwards was later seen at a local pub bleeding from an injury to his chest and head. It is thought that these were inflicted on him by his wife, who the court heard, remained 'drunkenly and callously unconcerned' at the sight of his blood.

After leaving the pub, a police officer on patrol saw Edwards shouting and screaming at her husband in the street, and she was asked to calm down.

Peter Edwards wanted to highlight the damage that mental abuse could cause.

For, he argued, by the time the physical injuries are visible it may already be too late.