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Community Education
Community education and raising awareness of male sexual abuse and sexual assault is a vital part of our work.
Community education and raising awareness of male sexual abuse and sexual assault is a vital part of our work. It involves working towards a society in which it is commonly accepted that:
- Approximately 1 in 6 males are sexually abused before the age of 16.
- Over 30% of confirmed reports of child sexual abuse involve male victims.
- 5.5% of men reported experiencing sexual violence after the age of 15 (compared to 19% of women).
Lack of awareness and acceptance of male sexual abuse and assault can explain why men are even less likely to report these crimes than females. What society tells us about being a man pretty much actively deters men and boys from coming forward. This not only makes it very difficult to estimate the number of men and boys who are being assaulted and abused, but also perpetuates the cycle of silence.
Ending the silence means men can feel less alone. Ending the silence means less fear ‐ more confidence ‐ in reporting sexual abuse. Ending the silence means more accurate data, more effective strategies, and better models of prevention and support.
Connecting with Communities
SAMSN reaches out to survivors, supporters and service providers across Australia through our website, telephone lines, training & speaking engagements.
SAMSN has an increasing footprint across Australia including NSW, Tasmania and South Australia to provide Eight-week Support Groups as well as Supporters & Survivors Workshops and Service Providers Workshops.
SAMSN also has connections with a range of organisations and works in partnerships to ensure male survivors and their supporters receive the best possible services, and to work to prevent further abuse to children and young people.
SAMSN also engages with some specific men's groups:
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Men
Our First Nations people face significant disadvantage resulting from the legacy of past and current practices of discrimination, the stolen generations and intergenerational trauma. We know that a significant of proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have experienced child sexual abuse, which has compounded the legacies of intergenerational trauma. SAMSN seeks to listen, learn and engage with Aboriginal communities to address these traumas.
Young Men
SAMSN recognises that on average it has taken 25 years for male survivors to disclose child sexual abuse. We want to reach men early in their journey of recovery to ensure they get the help they need to prevent long term impacts. SAMSN seeks to work alongside younger male survivors as well as service providers to achieve this.
A collaborative approach to reach younger men through social media, our website portals and our group work programs is developing.
Men Seeking Redress
Many men are unaware of the options available to them in seeking redress from institutional child sexual abuse. SAMSN outreaches to the community through networking, training and workshops. In particular, SAMSN seeks to provide this outreach to those who face barriers in accessing services, such as men from the LGBTQI community, men with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, men facing homelessness, men from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, men in rural and remote areas, men in residential care, and men exiting prison.
LGBTQI Communities
Many LGBTQI survivors have experienced difficulty finding support where they feel accepted, understood and don’t fear discrimination. SAMSN seeks to provide a safe welcoming, inclusive environment for all male and male identifying people. SAMSN also understands that a legacy of child sexual abuse can lead to survivors questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity and/or understanding of a healthy and respectful relationship. SAMSN is developing links with LGBTQI services to ensure our staff are trained & survivors receive the most appropriate support to meet their needs.
