Connecting with Communities
SAMSN reaches out to survivors, supporters and service providers across Australia through our website, telephone lines, training & speaking engagements.
SAMSN has an increasing footprint across Australia including NSW, Tasmania and South Australia to provide Eight-week Support Groups as well as Supporters & Survivors Workshops and Service Providers Workshops.
SAMSN also has connections with a range of organisations and works in partnerships to ensure male survivors and their supporters receive the best possible services, and to work to prevent further abuse to children and young people.
SAMSN also engages with some specific men’s groups:
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Men
Our First Nations people face significant disadvantage resulting from the legacy of past and current practices of discrimination, the stolen generations and intergenerational trauma. We know that a significant of proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have experienced child sexual abuse, which has compounded the legacies of intergenerational trauma. SAMSN seeks to listen, learn and engage with Aboriginal communities to address these traumas.
SAMSN employs Aboriginal staff to ensure we provide a culturally safe and sensitive approach to working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, and to respectfully engage in their communities.
Young Men
SAMSN recognises that on average it has taken 25 years for male survivors to disclose child sexual abuse. We want to reach men early in their journey of recovery to ensure they get the help they need to prevent long term impacts. SAMSN seeks to work alongside younger male survivors as well as service providers to achieve this.
A collaborative approach to reach younger men through social media, our website portals and our group work programs is developing.
Men Seeking Redress
Many men are unaware of the options available to them in seeking redress from institutional child sexual abuse. SAMSN outreaches to the community through networking, training and workshops. In particular, SAMSN seeks to provide this outreach to those who face barriers in accessing services, such as men from the LGBTQI community, men with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, men facing homelessness, men from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, men in rural and remote areas, men in residential care, and men exiting prison.
LGBTI Community
Many LGBTI survivors have experienced difficulty finding support where they feel accepted, understood and don’t fear discrimination. SAMSN seeks to provide a safe welcoming, inclusive environment for all male and male identifying people. SAMSN also understands that a legacy of child sexual abuse can lead to survivors questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity and/or understanding of a healthy and respectful relationship. SAMSN is developing links with LGBTI services to ensure our staff are trained & survivors receive the most appropriate support to meet their needs.
SAMSN acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live and work. We pay our respect to Past, Present and Future Elders.