Number of men raped doubles in Manchester

Harrowing stats show the number of men being raped has shot up in the last year.

The number of reports of male rape received by the Greater Manchester Police has more than doubled.

Since April 2014, 84 men have been victims of rape or attempted rape in Manchester, compared to 35 men the previous year.

In the same time period, sexual assaults have also seen a worrying increase, from 69 to 93.

These figures are from only the incidents reported to the police, yet the Greater Manchester Police believe that the actual figure could be much higher.

In 2012, a poll by Mumsnet found that 83 per cent of women who had been raped failed to report it, and the figure for men is imagined to be even higher.

To help men come to terms with the violent attacks, the Greater Manchester Police and Survivors Manchester, a support group for male rape victims, have now launched a campaign called Break the Silence, encouraging men to report rape.

Detective Inspector Damian Simpson from the police’s Serious Sexual Offences Unit said: “Rape is a difficult subject to talk about and we appreciate that coming forward is never easy.

“We know that male rape is heavily under-reported and want to reach out to men and let them know that help is available.”

Duncan Craig, Chief Executive Officer and Psychotherapist from Survivors Manchester said: “We need to work together to break the silence that surrounds the rape and sexual assault of men, so those affected can get the support they deserve.

“GMP are working hard to ensure that boys and men don’t go unnoticed and by working together, we can break the silence of the sexual abuse, rape and sexual exploitation of boys and men.”

To report an incident, contact Greater Manchester Police on 101 or Survivors Manchester on 0161 236 2182.