Founder of this website
Koen Thomeer, general practitioner
Blancefloerlaan 69, B-2050 Antwerp, Belgium
www.huisartsen-blancefloer.be
Koen Thomeer also created contextthinking.org, a knowledge platform that establishes the link between context blindness and a broad spectrum of psychiatric conditions. On ookmannen.be, context blindness is applied as an explanatory framework for controlling behavior in aggressors.
About this website
ookmannen.be provides scientifically grounded information about intimate partner violence against men — for (former) victims and for professionals. Content is based on Belgian and international research. See also the scientific sources page.
Who this site is for
The website addresses two audiences:
- Male victims who recognize themselves in what is described, and are looking for recognition, understanding or a first step towards help.
- Professionals (GPs, psychologists, social workers, police, justice workers) who support or want to support male victims.
What this website is and is not
- Informational, not therapeutic — the content does not replace professional support.
- Scientifically grounded, not activist — the site takes no position on gender politics, but focuses on the wellbeing of male victims.
- Belgium-oriented — emergency numbers and organisations are Belgian, but the content on recognition and recovery applies broadly.
Contact
You can reach the founder via koen@thomeer.be or via LinkedIn.
What you can expect: a personal response to substantive questions about the website or the scientific sources.
What you cannot expect: crisis support, medical advice or direct victim counselling through this channel. For that, please go to crisis help.
Looking for the medical practice?
This page belongs to ookmannen.be, an information website about partner violence against men. It is not a channel for medical questions, appointments or out-of-hours information. If you are looking for Koen Thomeer as a general practitioner, go to www.huisartsen-blancefloer.be.
Why this website exists
Male victims of partner violence are structurally less visible in care and support services. Not because they are not there, but because the picture of violence we all carry does not include them: the question is not asked, the signals are read differently, and the man who names it anyway risks not being believed.
That is a clinical problem, not only a public debate. A pattern that is never named is never treated. This site tries to close that gap where it makes a practical difference: for the man wondering whether what he is living through has a name, and for the professional unsure how to open the conversation.
The angle is deliberately not that of a gender debate. Nowhere on this site does it say that female victims deserve less attention — that claim would be untrue, and it would politicise the subject immediately. The starting point is narrower, and hopefully more useful for it: if a man is a victim, he should receive the same recognition and the same help.
How the content is produced
- Sources. The content draws on Belgian and international research. What comes from where is set out on the scientific sources page.
- Authorship. All pages are written by a single author, a practising general practitioner, and carry a visible last-updated date.
- Uncertainty. Where figures are contested or depend heavily on the measurement method, that is stated. This is particularly true of prevalence figures for perpetration.
- Three languages. The site is available in Dutch, French and English. The content runs in parallel; only the source lists differ where language-specific material exists.
- No advertising, no sponsorship, no commercial interests. Nothing is sold and there are no referrals to paying partners. Referrals go to public and non-commercial support organisations.
See also the privacy policy for what is and is not measured.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get help or medical advice here?
No. ookmannen.be is an information website, not a help channel. For questions about violence call 1712 — free and anonymous. In immediate danger call 112 or 101. If you are having suicidal thoughts, call 1813. For medical questions, see your own general practitioner.
Who writes the content of this website?
Koen Thomeer, a general practitioner in Antwerp. Every page carries a visible byline with the date it was last updated. The scientific basis is set out on the scientific sources page.
Does this website take a position in the gender debate?
No. The site does not claim that female victims deserve less attention. The principle is that a man who is a victim should receive the same recognition and the same help — no more and no less.
Is this website the same as Koen Thomeer's medical practice?
No. ookmannen.be is a separate information initiative about partner violence against men. For the medical practice, go to www.huisartsen-blancefloer.be. This website does not handle appointments and does not answer medical questions.