Annual Report 2010 – 2011
the year May 2011 sees Survivors Manchester just over one year on from the publication of The Stern Review. Whilst a major review of sexual offences is clearly important in itself, it also signified something else of massive importance for Survivors Manchester: recognition from the Government and the publication of our organisation’s recommendations for reform on a national platform. I congratulate Duncan Craig on his achievements in that respect. It is his drive and determination that causes anyone to take notice of us at all. We have now taken the stage and are garnering attention. We’ve joined hands with a number of organisations across Manchester and built upon the strong foundations laid in 2009/10. Nationally, we have also forged closer links with other important organisations and grow in import and status. This only helps us to continue to provide our growing list of services and extends our reach to yet more boys and men who need our help. That’s not to say there isn’t still more to do, because there is. However, the teamwork demonstrated by the Board and Company Secretary in producing a brand new business plan only served to confirm the abilities of our Board Members and the commitment of all involved. To them I owe thanks. Not only does this teamwork bode well for the future, but it vindicates all of the decisions we’ve made so far about the Board Members, the structure of the organization and our aims and objectives. Thanks also must go to Mike Blaney and Rick Gwitt from Manchester Community Central for steering us in the right direction. Whilst recent decisions made about funding applications have not been in our favour, there is still a lot to be excited about in 2011/2012. Armed with our business plan and some fresh ideas about how to increase service user involvement, not to mention increasing demand for our services, it is anticipated that the organization can only improve the way it offers its services and reaches more men that need it in the coming year. With all that in mind I can honesty say that 2010 was a successful year for us but as ever, comfortable in the knowledge that I am surrounded by hard-working and talented people, I know that 2011 will be more so. Here’s hoping for an even stronger 2011/2012. Lee Hughes Chair of Board
the board Lee Hughes Craig Harris Jo Silvester Paul Campbell Evan Chiswell Graeme Urlwin
Chair Deputy Chair Treasurer Director Director Director
the team Duncan Craig Stefan Milenkovic Wes Doherty Christos Tsaprounis
Service Director Webmaster Admin HR Support
thanks to Addaction; Abney Garsden McDonald; Addiction Dependency Solutions; Choose Change; Greater Manchester Police; Greater Manchester Probation Service; HMP Manchester; Lifeline Manchester; Manchester Adult Directorate: Social Services; Manchester Community Alcohol Team; Manchester Drugs Service; Manchester Rape Crisis; Pennine care NHS Foundation Trust; St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre; Lesbian & Gay Foundation; Victim Support Manchester.
and a special thanks to Anne Stebbings; Baroness Stern; Dave Gee @ Jam PR; Fay Maxted; Heather Greenbank; Helen Wright; Jacqui Henry; Mike Blaney; Paul Martin; Pete Saunders; Rick Gwitt; Sarah Kelly; Shelia McSweeny; Steve Ryan; Tony Colgan; Val Corfield.
the finances Incoming Resources Donations - Charities Fund - Fundraising Activity - Service User Donation - Services Training - GMP - NHS - LGF
£1353.00
£1470.00
Total Incoming Resources
£2824.00
Resources Expanded Charitable Activities Governance Costs
£783.00 £15.00
Total Resources Expanded
£798.00
Net Income Resources
£2026.00
Balance Brought 1 Mar ’10
£423.00
Balance Carried 28 Feb ’11 £2449.00
the company Survivors Manchester is a not-for-profit organization with charitable aims (Company No: 06811096), registered with HMRC Charities Unit. Registered Office: Survivors Manchester P.O Box 4325 77 Oldham Road Manchester M61 0BG info@survivormanchester.org.uk
the services In 2010 – 2011 the demand on our services grew 7% on the previous year. October 2010 and January 2011 showed the greatest increase of 50% more referrals being made than the same time the previous financial year. Analysis of the ‘service user status’ showed that 36% of contact with Survivors Manchester was by professionals looking for advice or support in order to enable them to support their client.
The majority of service users accessing our services self described as White British/Irish/EU. 12% identified as BME and 4% were unknown or did not wish to answer. 70% of male survivors accessing services self identified as heterosexual, 21% gay and 9% bisexual. Of the 51 males requesting support (including advocacy, signposting or advice and information services) 48 men were dealing with issues relating to historic sexual abuse and 3 men were dealing with current serious sexual assault and rape.
Overall in 2010 – 2011, Survivors Manchester …provided direct support to 51 male survivors, of which 90% accessed face to face services; …facilitated and provided training to over 45 professionals on working with male survivors, handling disclosure, recognising sexual exploitation, and managing legacy issues; …given support to 15 male survivors’ ‘significant others’ (including parents, partners, husbands and wives); …offered supported referral and signposting to 15 female survivors. We have delivered over 150 hours of therapeutic-led peer support group; 104 hours of email support; 36 hours of virtual 1:1 chat support; and 60 hours of 1:1 counselling. Towards the end of 2010, based on the findings of the research conducted by Duncan Craig, Survivors Manchester launched its brand new website www.survivorsmanchester.org.uk Since its launch, professionals, supporters, and male survivors have given us some incredible feedback, to which we are truly grateful. We are committed to continue to develop the site based on service user comments and further research to ensure it continues to meet the needs of those using it. Throughout the year, we have had 159,568 hits to the site which equates to 60,475 more hits than same time previous year, through 3,718 more unique users.
achievements The Stern Review Published in March 2010, Survivors Manchester was honoured to have been chosen to directly input into The Stern Review, Baroness Vivien Stern’s independent review of the handling of rape complaints by public authorities in England and Wales. St Mary’s SARC Strategic Partnership Board Survivors Manchester became one of the chosen specialist voluntary sector organisations to be involved in the strategic partnership board for St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre, a SARC hailed as the gold standard across the UK. Greater Manchester Police ‘Nightingale’ Training Survivors Manchester were delighted to be asked by Greater Manchester Police to support the training of over 100 of their specially trained officers by undertaking the delivery of a number of workshops focusing on dealing with male victims of rape, as part of Project Nightingale. Virtually Helping: An Exploration of the use of the Internet by Adult Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors Manchester’s founder and Service Director, Duncan Craig, undertook a year long research Masters degree exploring the use of online resources by adult male survivors of childhood sexual abuse. In December 2010, Duncan graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Counselling (with Distinction) and his findings and work is now being used in the UK, Canada, Australia and the USA. Report Rape 2010 In December 2010, after months of planning, a partnership campaign between Greater Manchester Police, St Mary’s SARC, Survivors Manchester and Manchester Rape Crisis was launched to the media. Survivors Manchester gave interviews to Granada TV; Century Radio; various online publications and BBC Radio Manchester where Duncan Craig was interviewed live on the Heather Stott show.
the message
Getting the message right is so vitally important, not only to ensure that the public at large understand what the organisation is, but so that potential service users feel that we are speaking directly to them – helping them to break the silence and start their own healing. We asked male survivors already in contact with Survivors Manchester, through our online presence, to help us create messages for the posters by making a statement in response to the question “why I kept silent�. The response was incredible and we are truly privileged to have read every single response. The task of creating a set of images using photographs taken by Manchester based artist Michael Atkins and the survivors statements was given to Dave Gee at Jam PR, who showed complete and utter respect for the materials he was given. By pixelating the images, Dave has powerfully illustrated the idea of the individual breaking through the silence. The results speak for themselves!
the silence “Is it rape because it was a woman that hurt me? Should I have been grateful, surely is every young boys fantasy. There is no way anyone’s going to believe me” Danny (33) “Covered in bruises, no one bothered to ask me if I was ok” Jose (22) “He was my friend. I’d hate to see what he would have done to me if we were enemies” Andrew (22) “If I only knew what to acknowledge, I could deal with it” Onno (32) “I thought I deserved it, I thought it wasn’t abuse when I liked it. I thought responding to it meant I liked it. I thought that was al I was good at. I thought no one would ever care if I told” Dan (19) “It was our secret. I promised not to tell. He said my mom would loose her job if I told. He said I’d be in trouble if I told. I thought it was my fault” Sam (26) “I was not at fault, I didn’t deserve this. But its so hard to believe when alone” Jose (26)
“I was only 19, he was 35, who would they believe” Andrew (22) “I didn’t know I was being abused. Too young. When I spoke to other survivors about it, men and women, I started to heal” Mac (39) “I was afraid he would banish me from home, he was all I had” Daniel (19) “If I could ignore it, it wasn’t real” Jose (22) “So that’s why I took drugs! Thank god someone believes me! Now I can face this. No longer is he going to have a hold of me. Why’s he living rent free in my head/life” Danny (33) “If I told, then it would only make this nightmare a reality” Andrew (22) “Although I sometimes really feel this part of my history does not belong to me, I cant ignore I still belong to it” Onno (32) “Let us shine the light of our broken lives, to give life and hope to all” Fast (24)