ADVOCACY

ADVOCACY
T

The Dean

Registrant
MaleSurvivor is a 501 (C) (3) organization. As such it cannot be politial in the sense of advocatinbg for a particualr person or political party.

BUT, we, as individuals and not speaking for MS, can advocate all we choose to.

There have been a number of articles lately about movies, news reports or court cases that have raised my blood pressure to the stroke numbers!!!

I believe that it would be very helpful if we who have experienced the horror of sexual betrayal and violence would write letters to the editor or opinion pieces, whenever there is something about male sexual abuse of kids or adults. This can be done even if the piece was not carried in that paper but on the TV or cable CNN etc.

The ordinary person in the USA, at least, is dumb as a stump about the reailty of it happening, the effects of it in all aspects of our life.etc.

The only way ignorance can be turned into knowledge is if we who know about these atrocities stand up and write about it.

I expect that every news paper would print what we have to say without using our names if we would request, or demand that. Papers usually need the writter to indentify him/herself to the editors, but not to the public.

Ignorance about this topic has got to stop!

Bob
 
Bob, you are correct, as a non for profit MaleSurvivor cannot support political parties or candidates, however, this does not mean that we as an organization can not be an advocate/or promote advocacy. In fact we recently added advocacy as one of our goals in our mission statement.

I support what you have said 110%. If we really want change, we have little choice but to be advocates. We all can and often do this in different ways. The fact remains, our voices MUST be heard if we are to begin to eliminate the ignorance and myths which persist regarding the sexual victimization of boys and men.

It is my sincere hope that as the people who have come here to listen, share, heal and be healed; as we see our own transition from victims to survivors, we find the strength to speak out about the abuses which have cost us (and all those who still remain silent)so much.

Some of our state laws need to change...statute of limitations, a victims right to pursue civil restitution from his/her abuser etc. We can write the LEADERS of our Churches and tell them why the actions and OMISSIONS are so offensive to those they have already victimized etc....these might be good places to start.

UNITED OUR VOICES WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Mark
 
Bob & Mark, I so agree! Even more, after going to my first survivor group meeting today, and meeting the fellow about whom the newspaper article "Journey to Peace" (see in Religion forum)
was written. What powerful advocacy that was! Had it not been for that article (and the MS link to it) I would never have found that group! Some newspapers may be more open than we think, if we will open up. If not about our own abuse, then about the coverage of sexual abuse of males.

Victor
 
I thought I'd give it a try when I saw a topic about Pete Townshend in an 'Off Topic Forum' on a 4x4 site I use.

So I posted that I also found it disturbing and repugnant etc, just like all the previous posters.
I said that I was a Survivor, and that if anyone felt the need hop over to MS - and I provided the link.

Well, it killed that topic stone dead..........

But maybe someone has seen it and begun to think about their past.

I certainly hasn't hurt to do it.

Dave
 
Bob and Guys Thanks for bringing up this subject. As i found ouit back in Nov. it is not easey to get an local newspaper to print letters on Sexual Abuse. After a few phone calls and a letter to the publisher about the importance of my letter to the paper they published it . I was under lots of stress to get it in the paper because the church was having a city wide meeting to reach out to other victims, and I wanted to let them know they where not alone. More than 10 victims came forward to start their HEALING.
Gary and I had 24 hours to edit our 400 words down to 200 but I think we (mostly Gary) did a good job. Our main mission in this letter was to reach out to other victims and educate the puplic on SA. We have a 200, 300 & 400 word verions of the letter and I will post them in a New Thread. Feel free to copy and paste and make your own letters . I am working to get the 400 words in some church,s weekly papers now. Thanks for this post Bob. Muldoon
 
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