Stay Brave, a charity which works to provide a voice for under-served survivors of intimate abuse, while working to erase the unique barriers they face when seeking help, has launched an ambitious five-year strategy to amplify the voices of male and LGBTQ+ survivors of abuse – and work with frontline service providers to change the way these under-served victims are able to access services and support.
Thousands of people in the UK each year are victims of sexual assault, rape and domestic abuse. While media reporting in recent years has helped increase awareness for survivors, what is often overlooked is that some survivors are missed by current service provisions. Cases in the media often depict straight female survivors, and omit men, boys, those in the LGBTQ+ community or vulnerable minority communities.
Given recent media attention around the increase in calls to domestic abuse helplines during lockdown, it is hoped that Stay Brave will be able to act as a credible, authentic and courageous voice for the victims and survivors that they represent. Ahead of the launch of their annual fundraising challenge, Walking Brave, it is hoped that this strategy will reignite supporters into helping the charity achieve their mission.
Led by a team of passionate volunteers, and working across the UK, Stay Brave has an ambitious target over the next five years. Knowing that survivors can find strength and healing in telling their stories to others – Stay Brave is able to position the insight and inspiration they gain from survivors to save lives. They also work as part of the Men and Boys Coalition and Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse.
Alex Morgan, Founder of Stay Brave, said: ‘Seeking help can be daunting for victims of intimate abuse, and I know first-hand what it can be like to be turned away from the support we desperately need when we eventually build up the courage to report our abusers.
‘We know that under-served survivors are suffering in silence, and there’s a long way for us to go to change policy to ensure that all victims have the support they need and the respect they deserve. We hope our new strategy will ensure that the stigma men, boys and LGBTQ+ survivors face will not be a barrier to accessing crucial support.’
Rhodri Roberts, Chair of Trustees at Stay Brave, added: ‘We are incredibly proud of the success we have achieved as a charity over the last 4 years. This new strategy will help us champion the voices of survivors that are too often ignored. We will support them in speaking out and using their experiences to help shape better policy across the UK and challenge the stigma faced by survivors.
‘With the release of this strategy, Stay Brave will be working on a range of communications and fundraising projects to highlight the experiences of LGBTQ+ and male victims of intimate abuse, and raise awareness with key policy makers.’
You can read the new policy document, and find out more about the charity’s work, by clicking here.
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