Male Survivors Advocacy Considerations

Medium

Topic

Date of Publication
November, 2018

Sexual assault often goes unreported and this can be especially true for assaults committed against men and boys. We know that sexual assault against men and boys is not new but rather has remained invisible as a result of the societal myths about men's sexuality and the cultural norms around masculinity. These influences can be extremely harmful to male survivors' healing.

Addressing the misconceptions and stereotypes that have served to silence male survivors, both within our organizations and among the system partners we work with, is critical to our ability to validate their experiences, provide accurate information and referrals, and advocate on their behalf. In our advocacy with male survivors, we must remember that

any effective healing process must both honor and occur within the multiple contexts of each man's life. Those influences, both positive and challenging, combined together in varying degrees, are the foundation for the richly complex and healthy men we strive to be.1