Johnny Depp's restraint

There's a recent meta-analysis of 85 studies of domestic violence, conducted by Sandra Stith and colleagues from Kansas State University, which found one of the largest risk factors in predicting serious abuse of women was the woman herself initiating violence.

So Amber Heard's violence matters. She was placing herself at risk of real injury by slapping, hitting and throwing things at a man. It is a tribute to Johnny Depp's restraint that he never retaliated. Next time she might not be so lucky.

If we actually cared about reducing the scourge of domestic violence, we would talk openly about this critical issue. We would protect such women by teaching them to deal with conflict without resorting to violence, teach couples to handle volatile issues differently. That's the approach used by couples and family therapy professor Sandra Stith and some similar brave souls scattered across the globe, despite active resistance from the ideologues.

This week CEDV, the international coalition working to change domestic violence laws and policies, is launching a #MenToo campaign, to ensure male victims of domestic violence are heard, believed, and have equal access to services. That's the beginning – a vital first step towards the evidence-based treatment programs that are the only real solution to this vexed social issue.