MSAS (Male Sexual Assault Support) is a male-specific project that operates across Kent and Medway, Surrey, and Sussex, working to support men and boys who have experienced sexual assault/abuse. MSAS Outreach Workers engage with agencies and organisations to raise awareness of SARCs (Sexual Assault Referral Centres), across the counties, and the options available for men and boys, whether they want to formally report to the Police or self-refer (without Police involvement) and still get important healthcare and aftercare support.
Whilst our SARCs have always been inclusive of all genders, MSAS aims to increase referral rates for men and boys, ensuring that the, often under-represented, group has the knowledge and confidence to seek the important healthcare they need.
It is the role of the MSAS Outreach Workers to liaise with agencies and organisations who work with or support men, in any capacity, and raise awareness of SARC services and to formalise pathways into SARC services.
MSAS Outreach Workers also work to establish a general presence across the three counties, where men tend to congregate, in order to raise awareness of SARC services directly with potential service users or the friends/family members of those men and boys who may need SARC support.
MSAS offers a clear and consistent brand, which is easily recognisable for men across Kent, Surry, and Sussex. As Mountain Healthcare want to increase engagement from men, who have experienced sexual assault, the team felt that it was important to become an established male-specific service, within the existing SARCs.
We hope that men, who have had unwanted sexual experiences, will soon recognise MSAS as the place to turn to in a time of crisis . MSAS represents the male-specific service that can be provided at each of our SARCs. It is the umbrella term for our collective work, which provides a safe, non-judgmental, space for male survivors.