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News

3 Things “Leaving Neverland” Reveals about Male Childhood Sexual Abuse

19/04/2021 by Male Survivors Taranaki

As a therapist who works primarily with male survivors of sexual abuse, I am grateful for the conversations that Leaving Neverland has sparked. As a society, we have still yet to fully understand or recognise how boys and men experience sexual assault and/or abuse.

The reality is that one in six boys will experience sexual abuse before the age of sixteen. Although much research has shown that girls tend to be sexually abused more frequently than boys, the rate at which men experience sexual victimisation during childhood is not insignificant. The sexual abuse of boys is common, underreported, unrecognised, and under-treated.

These are the needed conversations that Leaving Neverland is sparking, drawing back the curtain on the realities of male sexual abuse.

Read full article

Filed Under: News

Taranaki the Rainbow Region: Billboard aims to get acceptance for LGBTQI+ in the province

16/04/2021 by Male Survivors Taranaki

Taranaki has gained a new title as a local artist works to make the region more accepting of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex community (LGBTQI+).

Safe Space Alliance (SSA) has placed a new billboard on New Plymouth’s Courtenay St calling the province the ‘Rainbow Region’ of New Zealand.

A key outcome of the billboard and wider project is to help grow acceptance for the local LGBTQI+ community,” SSA director and New Plymouth-born artist.

Shannon Novak

This is in response to a very real need.

Shannon Novak

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Filed Under: News

Saying sorry not enough

16/04/2021 by Male Survivors Taranaki

A day late and a dollar short.

That was the phrase used by Dr Tom Doyle, a non-practising Catholic priest to describe the church’s apology, at the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care last month, to those damaged by clergy sexual abuse.

Dr Doyle has been researching this issue since the 1980s when, as a canon lawyer stationed at the Vatican embassy in Washington, he was one of the authors of a 1985 confidential report on clergy sexual abuse of minors written for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

He has been involved with pastoral care and advocacy for victims and families and has also been a consultant and expert witness in civil and criminal cases in many countries. In March, he gave an extensive submission by video link to the royal commission as part of its public hearings on redress after abuse in faith-based institutions and the entities the churches control.

In other words, he knows his stuff.

Read full article

Filed Under: News

‘It’s time’: Support group for male sex abuse survivors plans move into Blenheim

02/04/2021 by Male Survivors Taranaki

A support and advocacy group for men who have experienced sexual abuse is looking to open a space in Blenheim.

The Male Room director Philip Chapman, based in Nelson, said he realised the need in Marlborough after getting calls from men asking for local support.

It was time” Blenheim had its own Male Room.

Chapman said

Men don’t access services as much as women and most of the services are run by women, so we are looking at a place for men.

One in six Kiwi males experience childhood sexual abuse, but many never talk about it, so the actual statistic could be much higher.

Read full article

Filed Under: News

Apology by Catholic Church ‘shallow’

01/04/2021 by Male Survivors Taranaki

Cardinal John Dew described the abuse as unacceptable and indefensible, and said the church was deeply sorry. Photo: ODT files

An apology from the Catholic Church to abuse survivors has been slammed as shallow and only intended to satisfy the general public.

Cardinal John Dew made the apology, the first formal apology to victims, at the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care yesterday on behalf of the bishops and congregational leaders in New Zealand.

He said the church could offer no excuses for the actions that caused harm, and the abuse was perpetrated by people, such as priests, brothers and sisters and lay people that victims should have been able to trust.

He acknowledged the abuse caused pain, and trauma which continued to have an impact on the lives of victims.

But a Dunedin abuse survivor, and Male Survivors Otago spokesman, Michael Chamberlain said the apology meant little.

It was very, very shallow. He was just reading a couple of sentences to satisfy the general public.

Michael said

Many aspects of this week’s commission testimony from various church representatives had left him speechless, he said.

Those giving evidence had been quizzed on the process in which survivors’ claims were investigated by the Catholic Church’s National Office for Professional Standards.

That revealed confusing and inconsistent processes, Mr Chamberlain said.

Challenging would be an understatement.

Mr Chamberlain said he felt this week’s hearings would have left Catholic Church abuse survivors re-traumatised and angry.

He renewed calls for an independent body to investigate claims of abuse by religious institutions.

Article by Daisy Hudson

Filed Under: News

Whare Haumanu homeless hub set to open by winter

31/03/2021 by Male Survivors Taranaki

Work on a day shelter for Nelson’s homeless, Whare Haumanu, is progressing with an anticipated opening in May ahead of the cold winter months.

The project is a combined project from The Male Room, Nelson City Council, and Nelson city’s Rotary clubs spearheaded by Rotary Club of Nelson President Gaile Noonan.

Noonan said building consent applications were in and expected to be granted in the coming week or two, followed swiftly by construction.

We’re comfortable with where we’re at.

Noonan said

It’s coming together quite quickly, that’s what happens when you use these portacom buildings, you can just get the site ready and then drop it in.

Last Friday there was a dawn mauri stone laying ceremony at the site – the stone represents the life force or essence of the building and the work carried out in it.

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Filed Under: News

Faith based survivor advocates report to Commission

26/03/2021 by Male Survivors Taranaki

Filed Under: News

Abuse in Care: Church’s dedicated phone line not connected

25/03/2021 by Male Survivors Taranaki

The head of Auckland’s Anglican Church says he is “highly embarrassed” after it was pointed out to him their dedicated phone line for abuse survivors was disconnected.

Faith-based institutions are giving evidence in Auckland this week at the second part of the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry redress hearings.

On Thursday, Bishop of Auckland Ross Bay was questioned about the Church’s confidential phone line for raising any concerns or complaints, especially relating to claims of abuse.

He explained that when someone phoned the line it would be answered by a senior staff member, who would pass a note to himself to be actioned.

Are you confident that if you dialled that number now you would get the diocesan manager?

Inquiry counsel Katherine Anderson asked

Yes.

responded Bay

I just want to test that, because would it surprise you to know when we have dialled that number it goes through to a number unobtainable?

said Anderson

Filed Under: News

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