We call on Bristol City Council and Avon and Somerset Police to recognise male rape to encourage male survivors to come forward to get help and report the crime.

This is important to me, because there's a lack of awareness that men can get raped or sexually assaulted despite the recent male rape attack in Bristol.

According to UK charity Mankind 1 in 29 have reported being sexually assaulted and 1 in 20 have been affected by sexual violence.

There's a huge denial that male rape exists, rooted in mistaken ideas that 'real' men can fight off an attacker, women cannot rape men, and male rape only happens in prison.

These mistaken beliefs make it hard for male survivors to come forward, because they are left with feelings of shame, confusion and self blame for what happened.

That's why we need the council and police to publicly recognise male rape to make it easier for male rape survivors to get the help they need and to report the crime.