4. Survivors Manchester issues arising from the sexual abuse they have suffered.
Survivors Manchester is the only organisation specifically offering support to male survivors of sexual abuse and rape, current and non‑current, in the Greater Manchester area, and is one of only seven in the UK (five of which are Survivors Trust members). Established in 2009 by Duncan Craig, in response to the recognition that there was no specialist support for male survivors of sexual abuse and rape in the area, Survivors Manchester has since helped over 42012 male survivors. It is a survivor-led/survivor-run organisation that aims to create and facilitate a safe space for male survivors of sexual abuse and rape. With Survivors Manchester, boys and men have the opportunity to work through personal and often painful issues, with a focus on empowering men to make their own positive life choices and begin their own healing journey. The Survivors Manchester mission statement is:
•
To provide current information to men of the legacy of sexual abuse and rape via such vehicles as a specific website.
•
To provide appropriate general advice, support and external referral to male survivors of sexual abuse and rape.
•
To facilitate survivor-led weekly support group sessions.
•
To provide appropriate and accessible counselling by qualified counsellors and psychotherapists to compliment other services already available in the community.
•
To taking a modern and less restrictive approach by working creatively with male survivors to equip them with new skills and facilitate positive growth.
•
To provide education, training, and awareness raising campaigns around the issue of the sexual abuse of men of all ages and backgrounds, whilst continuing to learn from our work and respond effectively to new knowledge and identified needs.
Survivors Manchester primarily supports survivors in the Greater Manchester area, although it has recently been approached by men from further afield.
“To break the silence of the sexual abuse and rape of men in order to empower those affected to defeat the legacy of abuse to move towards positive futures.” Further, the organisation aims are: •
•
To ensure that no man in Manchester is denied access to Survivors Manchester services, regardless of race, culture, religion, age, ability, sexual orientation or socio-economic class and status. To assist male survivors in dealing with
12. As of December 2013
14
Male survivors can either approach Survivors Manchester directly, or be referred by another organisation. Referrals come from a number of other services, including mental health teams, GPs, social services, or other charitable organisations such as Victim Support and the
Survivors Manchester: Break the Silence