York and North Yorkshire Mayor is today raising awareness of
the issues and inequalities facing men on International Men's
Day, with a call for more men and boys to access key support
services to help improve their mental and physical health.
International Men's Day exists to highlight a range of issues
faced by men and boys worldwide, and raise awareness of the
actions they can take if they are seeking help.
Many services commissioned by the Mayor through his Violence
Against Women and Girls strategy are also available to male
victims of crime, offering crucial advice and support.
The mayor wants to see better promotion of services available for
men and boys, who face a number of barriers in accessing
vital services.
- Mental Health - 13 men lose their
life to poor mental health every day, representing 77% of the UK
total.
- Prostate Cancer - The second most
common cause of cancer death in males in the UK, with 1 man dying
every 45 minutes.
- Life Expectancy - 1 in 5 UK men
will not live to the age of 65.
- Academic Attainment – Official
statistics show a relative underachievement of boys in school,
and disproportionately low levels of progression to higher
education
- Criminal Justice - Men make up 96%
of the prison population.
- Statistics show that over a million
men were victims of domestic violence and sexual assault between
2021 and 2023.
, Mayor of York and North
Yorkshire, said:
“International Men's Day is a reminder of how vital our
support services are to everyone, including men and boys. I want
to make it clear that help is there for you, you're not alone. We
have a range of support available in York and North Yorkshire, so
please look into them if you feel you need it.
“It is no secret that a staggering number of men lose their
life due to poor mental health. These stats, combined with my own
mental health journey, has spurred me on to raise awareness for
men's mental health.
“This month, I have been running 5km everyday to raise
awareness for Menfulness, a men's social wellbeing group
in York that provide activities and counselling for men
struggling with their mental health. As Mayor I want to
build heathy and thriving communities where people can make use
of our beautiful outdoor spaces. An active lifestyle, getting
outdoors, and making sure I keep talking, have been the best
things I have done for my mental health. There are so many
options for support, for a range of issues, so please, don't face
your problems alone.”
--
1 in 3 victims of reported domestic abuse are male, and many
services commissioned by the Mayor via the York and North
Yorkshire Office for Policing, Fire, Crime and Commissioning
include support for victims of these crimes.
This includes the Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA)
Service, counselling services, and restorative justice services.
These are all made available to anyone who needs them, including
men and boys.
You can find more details about our commissioned services here:
Commissioned services -
York & North Yorkshire Office for Policing, Fire, Crime and
Commissioning (northyorkshire-pfcc.gov.uk)
Alongside these commissioned services, there are also a wide
range of organisations providing support for issues facing men
and boys:
-
Men & Boys Coalition
(menandboyscoalition.org.uk)
-
Talk Club - UK male mental
health charity.
-
Andy's Man Club - A men's
suicide prevention charity, offering free-to-attend
peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and
online.
-
BaggyTrouserUK - A
survivor-led charitable incorporated organisation that exists
to make a positive impact on the lives of boys and men who have
been affected by Testicular Cancer.
-
Ben's Place North
Yorkshire - A small charity whose primary aim is supporting
men and boys who have suffered childhood sexual abuse,
grooming, sexual violence, rape and domestic abuse.
-
The Better Days for Men
Foundation - A charity that aims to provide advice,
information, support and ultimately hope to
men who have fallen on hard times and are suffering hardship.
-
Movember - The leading
men's mental health charity in the UK, working on issues
including mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer
and testicular cancer.
Movember have a further extensive list of support available in
the UK for men who may be struggling with their mental or
physical health: Movember - Men's Health.
The following services are also available for men who need help
but are not in danger:
