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Preface
This manual has been written for helpers who provide assistance and support to boys and men who have survived gender-based violence ( GBV ) and sexual trauma during disasters , wars , conflicts and during migration . We hope it will help those who work with gender-based violence in other settings as well .
The manual provides information on the effects of GBV on mental health , and in particular on how helpers can use this knowledge to support male survivors of GBV . It is designed to assist helpers to identify and understand reactions to trauma , and deal with the different immediate and longterm responses that boys and men display after they experience traumatic events .
In 2014 , Mental Health and Human Rights Info ( MHHRI ) launched a manual for helpers who assist female survivors of gender-based violence , called Mental health and gender-based violence . Helping survivors of sexual violence in conflict – a training manual . 1 The focus on male survivors in this manual is not meant to diminish the attention given to female survivors . Rather , it recognises that boys and men can also be exposed to sexual violence , though we often think of men as perpetrators and women as victims .
The manual has been developed for use in situations where helpers have limited or no access to specialised health services , and where humanitarian workers must deal with extreme sorrow and distress due to insecurity , conflict and war .
The manual can be used in different ways . It can supplement and deepen the understanding of those who already have experience and expertise . Its first purpose , however , is to support helpers without specialised expertise who work with trauma . The manual can be read , studied and discussed , and the exercises it contains can be tested and applied in group work and study .
The manual explains in accessible terms the psychology of trauma and how traumatic events affect mental health . What are the signs of severe stress ? How can these be assessed and understood ? How can helpers approach very distressed persons shortly after they have been through dreadful and violent experiences ? How can they create safe spaces for dialogue and forms of support that will help survivors to recover and heal ?
Human rights and respect are key values . Other values that should shape the way survivors are approached include willingness to help and listen , readiness to allow survivors to control their own stories , and respect for their self-determination . In addition , a helper needs to know how to manage closeness and distance , how to give positive support , and how to tolerate silence .
The manual includes elements of theory but also focuses on practical training techniques that directly assist male survivors of sexual violence . We hope it gives helpers tools they can use to assist survivors of GBV to rebuild their lives and regain their sense of dignity .