London, UK, July 19th 2017 – On Sunday 16th July, Louis Theroux, producer, filmmaker and broadcaster, launched an appeal on BBC Radio 4 on behalf of the male rape and sexual abuse charity SurvivorsUK. The appeal has led to a huge amount of interest in the charity – both from donors and from survivors seeking support.
On average it takes 26 years for a man to tell someone about his experience of sexual abuse or rape. The appeal focuses on this worrying statistic and why it takes so long for a victim/survivor to talk about what happened to them.
Louis says: “Although sexual violence affects more women than men, it’s too easy to forget that men can be deeply affected by it, in numbers that might surprise you. I became involved in the work of Survivors UK after hearing these figures, and realising that male victims of sexual crimes are not always represented, or supported. Their pain and suffering is profound, and can result in poor mental health, drug and alcohol dependency and even suicide.”
The Appeal has received a great amount of donations in just a few days, and the charity has seen an increase also in online helpline contacts and requests for face-to-face and telephone counselling.
“Sexual abuse isn’t easy to talk about, but here at SurvivorsUK we work to give men a space where they will be listened to and believed,” says SurvivorsUK Director of Clinical Services & Acting Chief Executive Andy Connolly. “Unfortunately at the moment we have a 4 to 6-month waiting list for counselling due to lack of resources, and at the same time this is indicative of how much our services are needed. Thanks to people’s generosity we will be able to continue to provide long-term support to men who have suffered in silence for so long.”
The appeal on BBC Radio 4 was broadcast at 7.55am and at 9.25pm on Sunday 16th July and will be repeated again at 3.25pm on Thursday 20th July. It is also available online on the BBC Radio 4 website.
ENDS
About SurvivorsUK
Registered charity SurvivorsUK provides specialist support to men who have been raped or sexually abused at any time in their lives. Services include individual counselling (London based), telephone counselling (national), online helpline (national), ISVA (Independent Sexual Violence Advisor – London based) and groupwork (London based). SurvivorsUK also supports friends, partners and family members of victims/survivors.
For more information contact:
Andy Connolly – Client Services Director / Acting Chief Executive
[email protected]
T: 020 3598 3898
M: 07467 144346
SurvivorsUK
11 Sovereign Close
E1W 3HW London