Male Survivor
Awareness Day

October 25th, 2022

Thank you for spending MSAD with us.

#MenToo
#MaleSurvivor
#TransAndNonbinarySurvivorsMatter

Historically speaking, domestic and sexual violence has been seen as a women’s issue, but the reality is, survivors and perpetrators can be any gender. 

We seek to expand beyond the binary.

Domestic violence & sexual assault education, awareness, and resources need to become safe and accessible to ALL survivors - which includes people of all ages, genders, races and sexual orientations. This is why SYTT, Men Healing, MaleSurvivor, & FORGE have partnered together to bring awareness to the realities male survivors face - by launching the very first Male Survivor Awareness Day on October 25th, 2022. With staggering rates and even fewer resources, male survivors deserve to be supported, heard, safe, & loved.

Awareness goes beyond a single day.

Join us as we seek to reveal the intersectionality of domestic & sexual violence, spread awareness, & commit to uplifting male survivor voices year-round!

SPREAD AWARENESS & SHARE INFORMATION, CREATE SPACES TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS IN YOUR COMMUNITY, OR DONATE TO EACH ORGANIZATION TODAY:

OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS:

  • Did you know?

    Boys are as vulnerable to sexual victimization as girls. It is important to remember that no matter how old a perpetrator is - they can be bigger, stronger, in positions of greater power, and/or use emotional manipulation against the person they seek out.

  • Did you know?

    While it is often true that men who have caused sexual harm have a history of being sexually victimized themselves, most male survivors do NOT become sexual offenders, which is a common misconception.

  • Did you know?

    Sexual arousal can be a reality of the body, even in situations of trauma or nonconsensual sex. This can cause considerable confusion for male victims, considering that arousal can mistakenly be taken as an indicator of pleasure.

  • Did you know?

    It is a common misconception that boys and men experience abuse at significantly lower rates than girls and women, but this is not the case. The current understanding is that 1 in every 4 girls and 1 in every 6 boys experience sexual victimization before the age of 18. Likewise, 1 in every 3 women and 1 in every 4 men will experience some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Additionally, almost half of all people who identify as trans have been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives. Keep in mind, this is only what is reported. (NSVRC, The Hotline)

  • Did you know?

    There is no evidence that boys or men who have been sexually assaulted by a man are at risk of becoming homosexual (“gay”).

  • Did you know?

    Sexual acts forced upon a boy by an older woman is seen in some cultures as a ‘rite of passage,’ however, this is sexual assault! Regardless of how the culture may portray it, it is never a ‘rite of passage’. It is the responsibility of all adults to protect children from harm.

Male Survivor

Resource Panel

Join us as we learn from Michael Munson of FORGE, Nathan Lachine of MaleSurvivor, and Jim Struve of MenHealing about the facts surrounding disguised victimization, rebuilding “masculine” identity after abuse, and barriers male survivors face in Episode 4 of our Share Your Truth LIVE podcast.

Episode released at 9 am PST / 12 PM EST on October 25th.

Round Table

Our host, Jayce Baron, was joined with guests Larry Carter II, Gary D’Andre (aka ‘Gangsta Gurry’), and 2AM Ricky to discuss the importance of Male Survivor Awareness Day and how to be an ally.

Our host, Jayce Baron

Jayce Baron is a globally recognized Award-Winning Screenwriter and Author, Executive Producer, Director, and Advocate for the Black and LGBTQ+ community. CEO of jBaron Creative House, he has an organic desire to bring a conscious conversation to the community through film and digital platforms. He’s been in the entertainment business for over a decade from contributing at NBC to independent projects like Kiss & Tell Radio, a savvy podcast he hosted and produced with Media Guru, Shar Jossell tying pop culture and nuanced social conversation.

In early 2022, Jayce's film, Beyond Ed Buck, co-produced with Pose star, Hailie Sahar, premiered on AMC's streaming platform ALLBLK and has been recognized in several film festivals nationally taking home a few awards along the way. He has been featured and worked with clients such as the CDC, The City of LA, TMZ, Billboard Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, FOX Soul, Gilead, 360 Magazine, and many more.

In 2016, Jayce was invited to The Capital to continue to bring awareness to sexual assault, specifically with men, and was part of passing bill SB816 with Assemblyman Mike Gipson and Attorney Gloria Allred revoking the statute of limitation on rape in the state of California. Since then, huge national movements such as #MeToo, the Bill Cosby case, and several unresolved rape cases have made their way to court. He has been recognized and awarded alongside Joe Biden, Ashley Judd, and more for his work broadening the conversation surrounding sexual assault.

His advocacy once again trickled into media as he Executively Produced, The Lifted, an action drama film tackling the realities of sexual assault occurrences in ride-share services. The film is the winner of the John Singleton Embrace Award given by the City of Angeles and premieres at the 30th Annual Pan African Film Festival. 

In 2018, Jayce accepted an Advisory Board position with Yale University's Psychology Department on a new study that focuses on men dealing with sexual trauma.

joined with guests Larry Carter II,

Larry Carter is advocate, educator and entertainer. Larry has been an advocate for change for communities on the Westside of Atlanta as well as the LGBTQ community. “I believe it is important to create safe spaces and community within our communities” he explains. Larry has completed training with Peer Motivational Interviewing for Male Survivor through Yale University School of Medicine. Larry wants to leave spaces he has occupied better than he found them.

Gary D’Andre (aka ‘Gangsta Gurry’),

Gary D’Andre, or ‘Gangsta Gurry’ (GG for short) is a queer Black mystic, healer, educator, and writer currently based in Brooklyn, NY. The creator and host of Mystic Moments Podcast, he shares what’s happening in our world energetically while teaching his listeners practical tools to help them stay grounded through these energetic shifts. His work has been featured in Vogue, InStyle Magazine, Oprah Daily, Buzzfeed, The Toronto Star, and Teen Vogue. He is also the resident energy forecaster for The Purple Pants Podcast hosted by Brice Izyah.

and 2AM Ricky

Listed in New York Today's "Hottest Young Artists of 2022", Recording Artist, Songwriter, and Actor 2AM Ricky is breaking barriers and making strides in the industry. A Winston-Salem, NC native, Ricky is an advocate for the LGBT community and an openly transgender rapper with credits including CeCe Peniston, Bad Boys LA, A La Carte, and more. In 2021, Ricky became the First Black Transgender Male Artist to land #1 on any music chart with his single "Whatchu On (ft. CeCe Peniston)" peaking #1 on the LGBTQ Urban Charts for 10 weeks, and is also the first and only transmasculine model to grace the cover of Obvious Magazine (2022 Fall Fashion Edition).


Behind the scenes, Ricky is a notable songwriter and keynote speaker with expertise in brand partnerships and diversity & inclusion. He has helped educators, business professionals, and community leaders nationwide define language and best practices for inclusive branding, healthcare for transmen, diversity in marketing, and mental health within the music industry through training and open conversations. His work has included national campaigns with Eternal Water, Romwe, Nissan, University of Richmond, University of Cincinnati, and many more!

“I’ve never had such a strong sense of protection as I feel in these men’s presence. Together, we bend gender norms, dispelling myth after myth; including, if you put a bunch of men in a room together - bad things happen.”

- JON GILGOFF | MenHealing Men’s Story Project

Ry’s Story

Ry (he/him) tells his story of sexual assault as an adult, and how he found healing by surrounding himself with other men who’ve experienced sexual victimization, as well as his emotional support dog.

Zeke’s Story

Joshua “Zeke” Thomas (he/him) is a DJ, Producer, TV Host, and the CMO of Isaiah International. In 2017, Zeke revealed on Good Morning America that he was a male survivor of sexual abuse as a child and as an adult.

Tristen’s Story

Tristen (they/them) is FORGE’s Disability and Trauma Project Coordinator. They explain their passion for activism and work in disability justice mutual aid spaces, as well as their story of healing from child and adult victimization.

Jon’s Story

Jon Gilgoff (he/him) is a proud social worker based in Baltimore, MD, currently pursuing his Ph.D. to better partner with other advocates and healers. His story is about the radical power that storytelling and service can have in one’s recovery journey.

Listen to more male survivor stories through MenHealing’s archive here.

You are not alone.

Share about Male Survivor Awareness Day and use the hashtags
#MenToo, #MaleSurvivor, and #TransAndNonBinarySurvivorsMatter