April – Male Survivors Awareness Month
For a number of years, the Society has organized “Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Awareness Month” for the month of April.
In the first year, five mayors in the Capital Regional District and three in the Greater Vancouver region chose to make that proclamation. Last year seventeen local governments in the Victoria and Vancouver areas joined a growing number of mayors in the U.S. and Canada who make this annual event an important one for male survivors and those who work on their behalf.
Proclamation:
- WHEREAS, the problem of child sexual abuse persists in an atmosphere of silence and ignorance; and
- WHEREAS, the problem of boyhood sexual exploitation is often overlooked, neglected and poorly understood; and
- WHEREAS, while efforts to protect female children from sexual victimization and rehabilitative services provided to those who are traumatized are underway, collectively applying these same efforts on behalf of male children has lagged; and
- WHEREAS, boys who are sexually abused usually lack appropriate adult male role models and mentors to assist them in their recovery, provide support during any prosecution, and advocate on their behalf with other adults and organizations and as a result sustain additional trauma and suffer developmentally; and
- WHEREAS, it is encouraged that all adult survivors provide appropriate nurturing, support and guidance to sexual abuse victims as they are able; and
- WHEREAS, all adult survivors advocate for the prevention of childhood sexual abuse and for the development of effective and comprehensive recobery and rehabilitative programs for victims within the limits of his or her governmental and cultural restrictions and to the extent he or she is able;
We thank the following cities or districts that have adapted the above proclamation:
