L'Oréal Blackett speaks to Survivors Manchester about their distressing research

"WHEN you feel less of a man why would you want to tell anyone that?" asks Duncan Craig, CEO of Survivors Manchester, a vital initiative which provides support for men and boys who’ve been victims of sexual abuse. “Sexual abuse attacks the very idea of your own masculinity or maleness. Why are people surprised that for many boys it’s hard to speak out and it takes years?”

It’s a question which reveals a troubling truth; taboo, stigma, humiliation, jaded views on masculinity all play a part in silencing male victims of sexual abuse. It comes as no surprise that society is largely unaware that women aren’t the only victims of this crime.

Survivors Manchester’s recent research that one in six men has had abusive sexual experiences before the age of eighteen, is as startling as it is distressing.

The results, taken from various sexual health charities including the Office Of National Statistics, suggest that over 3 million men and boys have been victims of sexual abuse and violence in the UK. Survivors Manchester also believe that due to the number of unreported assault cases this figure could be much higher.

The findings were revealed during Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week (6 – 12 February), a social media scheme which aimed to encourage open conversation about sexual abuse. For Duncan Craig and Survivors Manchester, it provided a much-needed platform to talk about men’s experiences within this difficult subject, as well as encourage more men to seek support.

“Sexual abuse affects us all, regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, economic status or disability. The statistics around the number of victims are high and worryingly understood to be even higher,” says Duncan.

Why are people seemingly oblivious to sexual violence against men?

“There are a whole number of reasons why people aren’t aware about the number of men suffering; from the charity awareness campaigns, media stories, to government initiatives, that all tend to only focus on women. As a result, we then don’t engage in the much-needed conversations that could help bring awareness and encourage more men to seek support.”

One in five women in the UK has experienced sexual violence and women are still predominantly the main recipients of abuse. Of the 78,000 rape cases committed in this country each year, roughly 9,000 are male victims. While there is a disparity in the number of reported cases, remaining blinkered to men’s experiences with abuse is damaging to vulnerable men.