At a time when public attention is rightly focused on the tragedy of domestic violence, it is sad that part of this tragedy is still ignored. I recently discovered that a former army mate of mine - an Afghan War veteran no less - has for years been the victim of domestic violence at the hands of his wife.

My mate is not alone, but the pain and humiliation these men suffer is all the greater because hardly anyone will speak up for them.

The statistics are more than surprising. According to the Australian Institute of Criminology, between 2008 and 2010, men accounted for roughly 27 per cent of those killed by a current or former intimate partner. Moreover, almost one in three victims of violence at the hands of a current parter is a man.

This Father's Day will see thousands of men living with domestic violence. Who speaks for these victims?

Someone who knows about domestic violence against men, and speaks for the victims, is Dr Greg Canning, a GP and men's health advocate. He explains that male victims of domestic violence are often ashamed of their experiences.