Gwangju City Advocates Gender Equality While Men Claim 'Reverse Discrimination'

No Budget for Supporting 'Single Dads and Male Victims of Violence'
Councilor Jeong Da-eun: "Measures Must Be Established After a Survey"

Jang Da-eun, Gwangju City Council member.

There has been criticism that Gwangju City's budget for next year includes almost no projects to support men who have suffered from violence and single-father families.

On the 3rd, Jeong Da-eun, a member of the Gwangju City Council (Democratic Party·Buk-gu 2), pointed out during the 2025 main budget review of the Women and Family Bureau, "Although Gwangju City claims to realize gender equality, the budget to support male victims of violence and single-father families has hardly been allocated for next year either."

The number of consultations from male victims of violence reported in the Gwangju area over the past three years has steadily increased: 62 cases in 2022, 85 cases in 2023, and 79 cases as of October 2024.

Gwangju City's 2025 budget for domestic violence and sexual violence victim recovery and recurrence prevention projects is 6.966 billion KRW, an increase of about 300 million KRW compared to the previous year, but there are no projects for male victims of violence.

The city operates 10 protection facilities for sexual violence, domestic violence, and prostitution victims, and one self-support center, but there are no facilities available for men.

Support for 'single daddies' is similarly lacking. As of 2023, among 45,018 single-parent households in the region, 10,361 are father-headed households, accounting for 23%. Although the budget for single-parent welfare family facilities next year is 2.1 billion KRW, an increase of 72 million KRW from the previous year, there are no welfare facilities supporting single daddies.

The city has two mother-child facilities and four facilities for unmarried mothers for single-parent family welfare, but single daddies cannot use them.

Lee Young-dong, head of the Women and Family Bureau of Gwangju City, said, "Currently, out of 43 low-income single-parent purchased rental houses, seven are provided to father-headed families," adding, "We will increase this by two households next year."

Councilor Jeong emphasized, "Although traditionally perceived as having a superior status, a minority of men who are actually in a vulnerable position likely feel serious alienation and isolation," and added, "There is a perception that support policies for female victims are insufficient, but superficial support that does not reflect the reality of reverse discrimination against men should not be allowed."

Jeong continued, "We need to conduct a survey first to understand the current situation and establish measures to support male victims of violence and single daddies," urging, "Please pay attention so that citizens residing in Gwangju, regardless of age or gender, can receive the necessary support fairly and promptly."