London Diocese Renews Funding for Male Sexual Abuse Victims, Windsor Star, April 11, 2011

London Diocese Renews Funding for Male Sexual Abuse Victims

Windsor Star
April 11, 2011

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/London+diocese+renews+funding+male+sexual+abuse+victims/4597645/story.html

The Roman Catholic diocese of London has renewed its annual funding for a support group that helps male survivors of sexual abuse.

The Roman Catholic diocese of London has renewed its annual funding for a support group that helps male survivors of sexual abuse.

The Silence to Hope Project will receive $80,000 from the diocese this year. The diocese has been the group’s main benefactor since 2007.

“The church is taking a key role in helping people in our communities heal from the wounds of the past,” said Tom Wilken, Silence to Hope’s founder. He said the diocese’s funding not only provides services to help victims of abuse by clergy, but all male victims of sexual abuse.

Silence to Hope offers free group counselling session in nine counties, including Windsor and Essex County. It also offers community referrals, workshops and education and awareness.

Wilken authors books used in counselling victims. Those books have begun to be distributed to victims around the globe.

According to the National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, 37 per cent of all sexual abuse victims under the age of 21 are male. Wilken says research shows one in six men will be sexually abused in his lifetime