Lived Experience Network

Help shape the future of support for male survivors

The Male Survivors Partnership (MSP) convenes a Lived Experience Network (LEN) for survivors who want to help shape the future of support, justice and recovery for male survivors across the UK.

Members can contribute to consultations, research, projects, campaigns and wider advocacy work, depending on their interests and availability. Whether you’ve previously spoken publicly about your experiences or are interested in using your lived experience to help improve support for male survivors, we’d love to hear from you.

Current Opportunities

Here you’ll find opportunities shared by researchers and organisations looking to involve male survivors in research, consultations, campaigns and other projects. Opportunities are added as they become available. As each opportunity is managed by the individual organisation or researcher, any questions should be directed to them.

Campaigns (1 Opportunity - Deadline 28th July)

When You Are Ready Campaign (Deadline: 28 July)

Who is this for: Adult victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

Agent is a marketing agency working with the National Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce to explore the best ways to promote their When You Are Ready campaign. The campaign supports adult victims and survivors who may never have told anyone what happened to them when they were a child.

As part of their work, Agent would welcome the opportunity to speak to those with lived experience to understand where campaigns like this should be promoted to reach people who may be thinking about seeking support.

They would like to explore the following topics:

Reasons people seek support in adulthood.
Support people want and need.
Barriers to seeking support.
Where seeing a campaign like When You Are Ready would have been useful.
Where people go for information they trust.

How to take part: If you would like to participate and share your thoughts, please email lorna@agentmarketing.co.uk or [email protected] by Tuesday 28th July, to book either an in-person or online conversation, whichever you prefer.

All conversations are confidential, and you can withdraw your participation at any time.

Research (8 Opportunities)

Trauma-Informed Care for Adult Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Survivors’ Experiences

Colin Docherty
PhD Researcher, Teesside University

Who is this for: Adult men (18+) with lived experience of childhood sexual abuse who have accessed support from mental health services, social care, third sector organisations or criminal justice professionals.

This research explores how trauma-informed care is delivered to adult male survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The findings will be used to develop evidence-based recommendations and practical resources to improve future practice and service provision.

How to take part: For full details, including eligibility, what taking part involves and how to contact Colin directly, please read Colin’s Participant Information Flyer.

Research into Male Victims of Female-Perpetrated Childhood Sexual Abuse

Toochi Ekwomadu
Senior Cognitive Behavioural Therapist

Who is this for: Men with lived experience of female-perpetrated childhood sexual abuse.

This PhD research aims to improve understanding of the experiences of male survivors of female-perpetrated childhood sexual abuse and contribute towards the development of trauma-focused psychological treatments.

How to take part: To find out more or express your interest, please email [email protected].

Masculinity and Disclosure: A Comparative Study of Male Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse in India and the UK

Disha Handique
Postgraduate Researcher, Edge Hill University

Who is this for: Male survivors of child sexual abuse and professionals who support male survivors.

This research explores how culture and society influences disclosure among male survivors of child sexual abuse in India and the UK, with the aim of informing culturally sensitive support and interventions.

How to take part: For full details and contact information, please read Disha’s Participant Information Flyer.

Professionals can find further information about taking part on our Research page.

Experiences of Disclosure of Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse Within the South Asian Community

Krish Mehta
Trainee Clinical Psychologist, University of Hertfordshire

Who is this for: People of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Nepali and/or Sri Lankan heritage who have experienced childhood sexual abuse and disclosed it to another person or service.

This research explores the disclosure experiences of survivors within South Asian communities, with the aim of improving understanding and helping services better meet survivors’ needs.

How to take part: For full details and contact information, please read Krish’s Participant Information Flyer.

Victims’ and Survivors’ Narratives and Perceptions of the Court Process

Keziah Hall
PhD Researcher, University of Sussex

Who is this for: Victims and survivors of sexual violence who have been through the criminal justice process.

This research explores victims’ and survivors’ experiences of reporting sexual violence and their perceptions of the court process. The findings aim to improve understanding of victims’ experiences within the criminal justice system and help inform future practice.

How to take part: To find out more or express your interest, please email Keziah Hall on [email protected].

Masculinity and Psychological Distress Among Bisexual Men with Experience of Help-Seeking for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)/Abuse

Summer Jones-Webster
Trainee Clinical Psychologist

Who is this for: Bisexual men (18+) who have experienced intimate partner violence or abuse in adulthood and have received support from a third-sector organisation.

This research explores the experiences of bisexual men affected by intimate partner violence, including help-seeking, sexuality, masculinity and psychological distress. Participants will take part in an online interview and receive a £10 Amazon or Tesco voucher as a thank you for their time.

How to take part: For full eligibility details and contact information, please read Summer Jones-Webster poster.

How Identities and Social Factors Influence Men Who Have Experienced Sexual Violence or Harms

Katie
Postgraduate Researcher, Edge Hill University

Who is this for: Men with lived experience of sexual violence or harms, and professionals who support male survivors.

This research explores how factors such as age, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, culture and socioeconomic background influence survivors’ experiences, access to support and recovery. The findings aim to contribute to more inclusive and personalised support for survivors.

How to take part: For full details and contact information, please email Katie at: [email protected]

Perceptions of Sexual Harassment and Abuse Against Men Across Different Social Classes

Mariyam
Undergraduate Sociology Student, IOBM, Karachi

Who is this for: People of all genders aged 18 and over.

This anonymous survey explores perceptions of sexual harassment and abuse against men across different social classes. The findings aim to increase understanding of male victimhood and the psychological and social impact of abuse.

How to take part: To support this research, please complete Mariyam’s anonymous online survey.

Join the LEN

To register your interest, complete our short Expression of Interest Form.

Completing the form does not commit you to joining the network or taking part in any opportunities. It simply lets us know you’d like to hear more about the LEN and how you might like to be involved.

How much you get involved is entirely up to you. There is no expectation to take part in every opportunity.

Meet the Team Behind the LEN

Tanaka Mhishi – Tanaka is a male survivor who works with charities, universities and media organisations, using storytelling to help shape everyday practice around sexual trauma.

Sabi Stafford – Sabi leads the development of content and resources for 1in6.uk, helping to provide information and resources for male survivors. She is Communications Officer for Mankind UK and coordinates the Male Survivors Partnership (MSP).

Mel Barnard – Mel is Clinical Lead for Mankind UK and is committed to delivering survivor-led therapeutic support for people affected by sexual violence.

Have an Opportunity to Share?

The Lived Experience Network welcomes opportunities that enable members to use their lived experience to help improve support for male survivors.

If you have an opportunity that you’d like to share with members of the network, such as a research study, consultation, campaign, media request or service improvement project, we’d be happy to hear from you.

Please contact Sabi Stafford to discuss your opportunity.

Email: [email protected]