News Giving men a common antidepressant could help tackle domestic violence: world-first study
News Giving men a common antidepressant could help tackle domestic violence: world-first study
Quote:However, those who took sertraline showed significant reductions in domestic violence reoffending:For men who took their medication more consistently, the reduction in reoffending reached 30% at 24 months.
- at 12 months, offending was lower in the sertraline group (19.1%) compared to placebo (24.8%)
- at 24 months, offending was lower in the sertraline group (28.2%) compared to the placebo group (35.7%).
Quote:One partner noted:
Quote:I used to sleep with a hammer under my bed. Since he started this medication, I can sleep more easily, and I don’t need to sleep with the hammer anymore.
The Conversation, December 2 2025
https://theconversation.com/giving-men-a-common-antidepressant-could-help-tackle-domestic-violence-world-first-study-270968
Could it, The Conversation? Could it really?
When I saw this article posted somewhere on Reddit, I was skeptical. And I was right to be. For starters, for anyone who has read Lundy Bancroft's Why Does He Do That? would understand that the root cause of domestic violence against women is men not viewing women as human beings, which manifests as a lack of respect and physical, mental, and sexual abuse. Bancroft's book explicitly peels away the excuses of mental illness as a justification for male violence against women. And yet this article seems to paint it as the reason, at least, the actions of a drug made to treat depression can miraculously help with domestic violence?!
Reading into the article:
Quote:However, those who took sertraline showed significant reductions in domestic violence reoffending:For men who took their medication more consistently, the reduction in reoffending reached 30% at 24 months.
- at 12 months, offending was lower in the sertraline group (19.1%) compared to placebo (24.8%)
- at 24 months, offending was lower in the sertraline group (28.2%) compared to the placebo group (35.7%).
Quote:One partner noted:
Quote:I used to sleep with a hammer under my bed. Since he started this medication, I can sleep more easily, and I don’t need to sleep with the hammer anymore.
Quote: Golly... ladies, please clap. Yes, by sedating men with antidepressants, we've managed to make it so that after one year, only one in five men beat the shit out of their female partners instead of one in four. And after two years... well... while that number does jump up to be a little higher than one in four men beating the shit out of their female partners if they're on the drug, at least it's not the one in three men if they weren't medicated, amirite?! By god, domestic violence has basically been solved. Big Pharma, you've done it again. 🥰
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Quote: Golly... ladies, please clap. Yes, by sedating men with antidepressants, we've managed to make it so that after one year, only one in five men beat the shit out of their female partners instead of one in four. And after two years... well... while that number does jump up to be a little higher than one in four men beating the shit out of their female partners if they're on the drug, at least it's not the one in three men if they weren't medicated, amirite?! By god, domestic violence has basically been solved. Big Pharma, you've done it again. 🥰
(Dec 7 2025, 4:13 PM)Magpie It's even worse, if you look at the actual study this supposed lower rate of domestic violence reoffending wasn't even statistically significant. This means they can't actually claim with this much certainty that there is a difference between the sertraline and placebo groups. They are suggesting an approach they haven't even provided sufficient evidence for.
(Dec 7 2025, 4:13 PM)Magpie It's even worse, if you look at the actual study this supposed lower rate of domestic violence reoffending wasn't even statistically significant. This means they can't actually claim with this much certainty that there is a difference between the sertraline and placebo groups. They are suggesting an approach they haven't even provided sufficient evidence for.
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I find this study to be deeply disgusting. These researchers knew these men were violent abusers and still just left their victims in the same houses with them so that they could test how well their silly little drug experiment worked?
What is even happening here? How is the appropriate response to knowing a man is violently abusing his female partner not to arrest him and lock him the fuck up? Now we’re giving them medicine because “they’re depressed and have had a hard life”? Are you fucking kidding me? Does the himpathy ever end?
(Dec 21 2025, 4:13 PM)periwinkle I find this study to be deeply disgusting. These researchers knew these men were violent abusers and still just left their victims in the same houses with them so that they could test how well their silly little drug experiment worked?
What is even happening here? How is the appropriate response to knowing a man is violently abusing his female partner not to arrest him and lock him the fuck up? Now we’re giving them medicine because “they’re depressed and have had a hard life”? Are you fucking kidding me? Does the himpathy ever end?
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(Dec 21 2025, 4:13 PM)periwinkle I find this study to be deeply disgusting. These researchers knew these men were violent abusers and still just left their victims in the same houses with them so that they could test how well their silly little drug experiment worked?
What is even happening here? How is the appropriate response to knowing a man is violently abusing his female partner not to arrest him and lock him the fuck up? Now we’re giving them medicine because “they’re depressed and have had a hard life”? Are you fucking kidding me? Does the himpathy ever end?
ShameMustChangeSides Plus, lending credibility to the "he's just abusive because he's depressed or has a mental illness" DOES NOT benefit victims, it only gives abusers more tools to manipulate victims and systems.
ShameMustChangeSides I want off this planet.
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ShameMustChangeSides Plus, lending credibility to the "he's just abusive because he's depressed or has a mental illness" DOES NOT benefit victims, it only gives abusers more tools to manipulate victims and systems.
ShameMustChangeSides I want off this planet.
(Dec 21 2025, 5:53 PM)periwinkle I just want men off this planet.
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(Dec 21 2025, 5:53 PM)periwinkle I just want men off this planet.
Quote:I used to sleep with a hammer under my bed. Since he started this medication, I can sleep more easily, and I don’t need to sleep with the hammer anymore.
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Quote:I used to sleep with a hammer under my bed. Since he started this medication, I can sleep more easily, and I don’t need to sleep with the hammer anymore.
Quote:Plus, lending credibility to the "he's just abusive because he's depressed or has a mental illness" DOES NOT benefit victims, it only gives abusers more tools to manipulate victims and systems.