WHO wants to talk about rape, sexual violence and domestic abuse?

They are difficult subjects to talk about and to read about, but they need to be discussed.

This is why the 16 Days of Action (November 25 to December 10) are so vital in getting people thinking about these horrible subjects.

The international campaign gets people talking about the 85,000 women that are raped in England and Wales each year, according to the Office of National Statistics, and the one in three that have been beaten, coerced into sex, or abused in their lifetime.

But sexual violence isn’t just something that happens to women, of course – thousands of children around the country will experience the same thing, and in no way is this something that men don’t go through too.

The one thing I have picked up on over the last few days of covering the campaign for the Worcester News is that many believe more should be done to raise awareness of sexual violence towards men.

There are some incredible services available to survivors of sexual violence and domestic abuse in the county – including West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (WRASASC), the Glade and Women’s Aid – but what is not widely known about is the services available to men.

The Glade, a sexual assault referral centre based just outside of Worcester, provides support to men, women and children of any age, while WRSASC offers men helpline support, email support, and the help of Independent Sexual Violence Advisors who can help the victim to decide if they wish to report to the police, alongside the vital services they offer women and children.

Rape is not about sex but about control, and anyone can be a victim.

A victim of rape – whether male or female – will probably endure the same feelings of shame, guilt and fear that often come with the crime and will usually find it very hard to talk about.

Men, women and children alike need to know that if they find themselves a victim of this crime, that it is never their fault, and that there are people who can help them through the horrific ordeal which unfortunately doesn’t end with the rape or attack itself.