Hello!
I have seen a lot of posts on Facebook lately and it's inspired me to write this next blog. I am forever reading posts which says things such as "LADIES!! If you're ever in trouble and need help then click the Iphone unlock button 5 times for emergency SOS service" or warnings about getting into taxis alone. I can't help but think- what about the males? Why are these posts always aimed at women? Are men never victims of domestic abuse, rape or gang related attacks? We are in a society where people are fighting for equality and yet we ignorantly ignore that male can be victims too. (Side note: for those know what Facebook post I'm referring to, yes pressing the unlock button 5 times does bring up the emergency call feature but in the UK we do NOT have the police facilities for them to track our GPS or send an officer to come help).
I've done some research on male victims in the UK and my google search was filled with the recent acid attacks and statistics on sexual/domestic abuse, but what stuck out to me was:
- An estimated 12,000 males in the UK are raped and 70,000 sexually abused or assaulted each year.
- There were 12,130 reported cases of sexual abuse against men and boys in England and Wales between 2016-2017 (which has tripled in comparison to the 2006-2007 figures)- Astonishing! Just think how many more cases are out there unreported.
- For every three domestic abuse victims, 2 will be female and 1 will be male.
- 1% of men and 1.9% of women were victims of force at the hands of their partner during 2014-2015.
- Male victims (29%) are over twice as likely than women (12%) to not tell anyone about the partner abuse they are suffering from. This is also common with mental health issues, males statistically do not ask for help which is why male suicide rates are so much higher than the female statistics, it's really shocking and upsetting.
Although some of this information may be out of date, it is still unsettling to see the statistics of male victims. As a society I think it's important to acknowledge that females statistically experience more reported attacks (in whichever form) but that shouldn't mean we discount males as not 'at risk.'
Information for this blog has been taken from:
http://www.mankind.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/30-Key-Facts-Male-Victims-Mar-2016.pdf (this is particularly eye opening!)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/02/world/europe/uk-sexual-assault-male.html
If you been affected by anything in this blog then please visit: https://www.survivorsuk.org/# or http://www.mankind.org.uk/
Just know that Jade Hens Counselling will always be there for you and any struggles you may be experiencing, taking the first step in asking for help is always the hardest, I offer a brief consultation to answer any queries or questions and if you feel what I offer is suitable to your needs then we will go from there.
