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Group wants to reduce stigma around sex abuse against men

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A local group is trying to make April ‘Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Awareness Month.’

The BC Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse is writing to mayors and councillors from municipalities around the province, asking them to make the proclamation.

“A lot of people don’t even think it happens and it happens a lot more than people in the profession even realize,” Executive Director Don Wright tells News1130.

“I would say, probably, about one in four men are the victims of sexual abuse sometime in their life.”

Wright’s group does everything from providing support to therapy to research. He founded it 24 years ago.

“There are a lot of reasons why men don’t report and there very few opportunities for them to report,” he explains. “I really think men do want to talk about this, but they need ‘permission’ and a clear message that it’s alright.”

He says a handful of municipalities are on board with the campaign.

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