Launch of MSP
Survivors Manchester, Mankind UK, Safeline and Survivors UK, are delighted to announce that they will be actively working in partnership to create a shared space in the sexual violence sector that will actively promote and develop better support for male survivors of sexual abuse, rape and sexual exploitation.
Over the past 40 years there has been some great collaborations between people and organistions, particularly with the birth of Rape Crisis England and Wales in 1973, a model of working together that has supported girls and women and one that everyone should learn from.
However support for boys and men has been sparce and at best, ad-hoc.
Chief Executive of Survivors Manchester, Duncan Craig, said:
I am really excited about this new collaboration and what we could achieve together. Never before has there been such a concerted effort by those organisations specifically supporting boys and men, or those with specialist services for boys and men, to work across locations, disciplines and boundaries to make better spaces for males to heal. As a service provider and a survivor myself, I find it incredibly inspiring.
This isn’t the first time that these organistions have worked together. In 2015, as part of a working group with the Ministry of Justice, they alligned to support the delevelopment of the National Male Survivor helpline (0808 800 5005), managed and delivered by Safeline. Chief Executive, Neil Henderson said
Since we opened the helpine, hundreds of men have been in contact, many speaking out for the first time and since the revalations of the abuse within football, we have seen calls triple. Working together with colleagues across the UK has enabled us to have a truly National helpline, a central point of contact for boys and men and long may it continue as these individuals deserve every bit of support.
Along with the founding partners, the partnership will begin making links with other organistions across the UK who provide specific or specialised support to boys and men.
The Male Survivors Partnership will begin to work closely together on a number of projects both home and abroad.