Frederick, MD (June 13, 2006) - In recognition of National Men's Health Week (June 12-18, 2006), various crime victim, mental health, substance abuse, advocacy, and trauma-related organizations have come together to highlight the enormous-but virtually ignored-impact of emotional trauma on men's health.

Witness Justice, a national nonprofit organization providing direct assistance to survivors of violent crime, has seen a marked increase in men coming to us for support with all types of violent trauma-from physical assault to sexual abuse to domestic violence.

More than one in three adults and nearly 70 percent of adolescents are estimated to fall victim to violent crime in the United States¹. Contrary to public perception, men are, in general, actually more likely than women to fall victim to violent crime² but less likely than women to report the violence against them³. Social stigma and privacy concerns are widely viewed as part of the problem. Many men also report that available services do not meet their needs, or that there simply are no programs or services available to them (as is the case with many domestic violence situations).

Yet research increasingly cites emotional trauma as a significant factor in a wide range of health, behavioral health, and social problems. Especially when untreated, trauma can have severe negative impacts on a person's physical and emotional well-being. It has been linked to depression, suicidal tendencies, chronic anxiety, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity (i.e. poor "social skills"), somatization (i.e. "chronic fatigue syndrome"), eating disorders, and dissociation. Research also shows that violent trauma survivors are at a higher risk for unhealthy coping mechanisms (e.g. alcohol/substance use, self-injury, etc.), and that victims of violence are at a higher risk for violent re-victimized and even perpetration.

"Men are a vastly underserved population, and this has direct and potentially devasting consequences for men's health and well-being" said Randy West, Chief Program Officer, Witness Justice. "If we have any hope of stopping the cycle of violence and alcohol/substance abuse that is so pervasive in our society, we must take a more integrated approach to health and violence prevention and treatment that is genuinely inclusive of men. Too many men simply feel that they have no voice and no hope."

"Men and women do not operate in a vacuum from one another," West added. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that by helping men heal from trauma, we will also help women heal, and vice versa-it's all interrelated."

David Lauterbach, President/CEO of The Kent Center for Human and Organizational Development, added, "During men's health week, let's work to open the door for men to recognize and own all their feelings, not just the 'macho' ones. The health of men and all those they come in contact with rests in the balance."

Position on Men's Health from the Center on Women, Violence and Trauma⁴ :
For many men, being "a man" and being a "victim" are fundamentally incompatible. Male survivors of sexual or physical violence, therefore, can retain a sense of "masculinity" and disconnect from feelings of vulnerability or they can remain connected to the vulnerability and relinquish a sense of themselves as masculine. Gender-specific approaches to trauma recovery have less frequently considered other forms of interpersonal violence involving boys and men, including childhood physical and sexual abuse and community or institutional violence. In fact, there are considerable similarities between men and women in exposure to interpersonal violence, in characteristic physiological and psychosocial responses, and in recovery and healing.

Position on Men's Health from the Kent Center for Human and Organizational Development⁵ :
Men are often limited by societal role expectations to show only anger and mask their other feelings with alcohol and substance abuse and other anti-social behaviors. We have a major public health issue of unrecognized male depression. This depression is manifest in substance abuse, pornography and violence in our society. Men are complex beings who have a right and a responsibility to own the full range of emotions open to all human beings. Fear, sadness, shame and helplessness are not "feminine" emotions; they are human emotions that are often a by-product of experiencing violence.

Position on Men's Health from the American Society of Adult Abuse Professionals and Survivors (ASAAPS) ⁶
Trauma effects are not only life-long, but trauma can happen at any point in life. Older men are victimized by elder abusers at roughly the same rates as older women. Trauma-based services, however, are not nearly as available to men as they are to women. For example, many elder abuse support groups, shelters, and programs will only serve female victims; comparable programs for male elder abuse victims do not exist. Adult male victims of violence and abuse often have a particularly hard time understanding what has happened to them and getting help healing, due to a widespread belief that "domestic violence" is only experienced by women.

Positions from FORGE⁷ on Men's Health:
Men tend to "work" through and around their trauma, rather than confronting the trauma itself and addressing the emotional issues. Men may, in fact, add significantly more physical stress to their bodies by doing more physical work (exercise, yard/housework, etc.) than they would have if no trauma had occurred. Men may add more emotional stress by extending hours at work or choosing stressful jobs that keep their minds occupied, so they don't need to face the trauma. Unaddressed trauma in anyone leads to a higher likelihood of repeating traumatic patterning and becoming abusive - and men are more likely than women to have unaddressed trauma because of the social stigmas around men and emotions.

¹ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Youth Violence Research Bulletin - February 2002
² U.S. Department of Justice, National Crime Victimization Survey - September 2004
³ U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Reporting Crime to the Police, 1992-2001 - March 2003
⁴ The Center on Women, Violence and Trauma is a partnership between Abt Associates Inc., the National Trauma Consortium, and Survivors Taking Action. It was created in 2005 with funding and support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Center for Mental Health Services.
⁵ For 30 years, The Kent Center for Human & Organizational Development has provided behavioral healthcare services to adults, teens, children, and families in Rhode Island. The Kent Center is guided by a vision and set of principles that are dedicated to improving the quality of life in our communities by promoting growth, mutual interdependence, and recovery.
⁶ The American Society of Adult Abuse Professionals and Survivors (ASAAPS) connects, supports, and informs adult abuse survivors and professionals to enable them to heal from the abuse they've experienced or witnessed, and to inspire their continued commitment to addressing and preventing elder and disabled adult abuse. We also advocate for the continued improvement of systems that provide services to victims and survivors of elder and disabled adult abuse; promote interpersonal and community-wide efforts to prevent, recognize, and address abuse of elders and adults with disabilities; and identify and nurture new leadership.
⁷ FORGE is a progressive organization whose mission is to support, educate and advocate for the rights and lives of female-to-male transgender individuals and SOFFAs (Significant Others, Friends, Family, and Allies). FORGE is dedicated to helping move the fragmented communities beyond identity politics and forge a movement that embraces and empowers our diverse complexities.

Witness Justice is a national, grassroots nonprofit organization created by survivors for survivors. Our mission is to empower and assist victims of violent crime and their loved ones in healing from trauma and in navigating the criminal justice processes. Witness Justice provides direct services for victims across the country, offering support regardless of where a victim lives, when or where the crime occurred, or whether the crime was ever reported. For more information, please visit us at www.WitnessJustice.org.