SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake City man is trying to change the equation for men who are victims of domestic abuse by creating an all-male shelter in Utah for survivors called The Utah Bunker House.
Josh Murray told FOX 13 News that he came up with the idea after he was physically abused by his girlfriend about two years ago. He said she snapped one day, and the woman he knew and loved for years changed in an instant.
“There was no life in her eyes. The person that I saw standing there holding a knife was not the person that I knew for almost 10 and a half years,” Murray said.
Soon after, Murray said he was evicted from his apartment and spent the next two-and-a-half years homeless.
He explained how difficult it was for him to find a permanent place to live in Salt Lake County with an eviction from a domestic violence incident on his record.
Since documents didn’t specify who was the victim, he struggled to convince people that he wasn’t at fault.
“It needs to change. This gender bias where domestic violence is only a woman’s thing. It’s got to stop. You know, a victim is a victim is a victim,” said Murray.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four men has reported severe physical violence from an intimate partner.
“There is a lot of stigma that is around specifically men being affected by domestic violence,” said Ashlee Taylor, who is the executive director at The Refuge Utah.
The non-profit offers a variety of services to male and female victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Utah and Juab counties.
Taylor said they don’t typically see as many men who need housing because they can support themselves financially. However, that doesn’t mean more help isn’t necessary.
“Agencies that are out there right now are trying to do their best to serve everyone in our community, but we do recognize that there are very specific populations that have a very specific need that is sometimes not met as well as it should be” she said.
However, Taylor emphasized that it’s not easy starting agencies from the ground-up, similar to what Murray is trying to accomplish. She said a big challenge is a lack of funding.
While Murray continues to garner support for his all-male shelter, he encourages anyone with questions about his idea, if someone is in crisis and needs to be connected with the correct community organization, or if they want someone to listen, they can reach out to him 24/7 at The Utah Bunker House. Email: theutahbunkerhouse385@gmail.com
Domestic violence victim resources (free, 24/7, confidential):
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition:
- Hotline: 1-800-897-LINK (5465)
- Online help: udvc.org
- National Domestic Violence Hotline
- 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- Online live chat: thehotline.org
- If you or someone else is in immediate danger, or in an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.
