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[Yrael]

Fantastic news in Sweden:

http://www.thelocal.se/20150617/sweden-announces-first-centre-for-raped-men
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33187011

Södersjukhuset already has the largest emergency care unit in the Nordic region and runs a round-the-clock walk-in clinic for women and girls who have been sexually assaulted in the city, treating between 600 and 700 patients a year.

On Wednesday, the hospital announced that from mid-October, it would also admit men and boys as part of a strategy to ensure "gender equal" emergency care for rape victims of both sexes.

In 2014, some 370 cases of sexual assault on men or boys were reported across Sweden, according to the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, although experts believe that the actual figure is much higher.

"The general perception is that men cannot be raped," Lotti Helström, a senior physician at the hospital told Sveriges Radio, adding that male victims can suffer even more than women.

 

[Fj0823]

Nice!

No really, that's great.

 

[geomon]

Good. All victims need treatment.

 

[Kurita]

Great news. Hopefully more cities/countries will do the same.

 

[terrisus]

Definitely a very good step.

 

[Red Arremer]

"The general perception is that men cannot be raped," Lotti Helström, a senior physician at the hospital told Sveriges Radio, adding that male victims can suffer even more than women.

Yep, because coming out with this, especially if the rapist was a woman, is extremely stigmatized. Women at least have outlets and psychological support, men usually do not.

Applause to Södersjukhuset, and by extension Sweden. Just reaffirming why I want to live there.

 

[Skittles]

One step closer to a general acceptance of male rape.

 

[Fudgepuppy]

Proud to be Swedish.

Just posted this on Facebook, time to see how many posts I get from people that will misunderstand my position.

 

[Daria]

wonderful news, fully support these. hopefully we see more in other cities/countries/villages during the upcoming years.

 

[Aurongel]

Sweden continues to take the world kicking and screaming into the future.

 

[Bleepey]

Hats of to them, I am genuinely surprised.

 

[Scorpion Soldier]

Hands down for the Swedish, well done!

 

[cartoon_soldier]

I love the Nordic countries

Maybe I can retire to one of them

 

[Vicetrailia]

Why would people believe that men cannot be raped, but are well aware of prison rape and "dont drop the soap"? It happens everywhere.

 

[Baron Aloha]

Sweden continues to take the world kicking and screaming into the future.

Pretty much.

 

[ramuh]

This is good news!

 

[iMax]

I love the Nordic countries

Maybe I can retire to one of them

 

[Dictator93]

A shame that this took so long to come into existence. Anyone else know of any other male rape victim clinics elsewhere?

I have not ever really followed such developments... so I have no idea.

 

[kirblar]

Why would people believe that men cannot be raped, but are well aware of prison rape and "dont drop the soap"? It happens everywhere.

This tends to be an issue primarily with female-on-male rape.

 

[DUFFMCWALIN]

Good shit Sweden.

 

[Nivash]

Why would people believe that men cannot be raped, but are well aware of prison rape and "dont drop the soap"? It happens everywhere.

I think most people are aware of rape as in one man assaulting and forcibly penetrating another. They're liable to say things like "why didn't you fight back, I'd rather die than be raped" and think less of the victim but they can grasp the concept.

The understanding breaks down when it comes to male victims that weren't forcibly penetrated, not to mention those that we're coerced to have sex with a woman. This despite what I suspect to be the fact that male-on-male assault rape probably isn't the most common type.

 

[Zoned]

When it comes to society values, Nordic countries are better than us in almost every possible way. Imagine some politician saying this in America, people will laugh at him.

 

[Xe4]

Good job Sweden. Maybe this is the start of people taking topics such as male rape seriously.

 

[ibyea]

Good news.

 

[Ninja Dom]

Good news.

I hope it isn't because male rape is particularly high in Sweden that they've done this and purely "gender equal" as they say.

 

[Zaphrynn]

Fantastic news. Hopefully this will inspire other places to open clinics, or be more welcoming to male victims.

 

[cameron]

The clinic opened today.

The Local: "Sweden opens world's first male rape centre"

A hospital in Stockholm is understood to be first in the world to set up an emergency department specifically for male rape victims. The clinic at Södersjukhuset opened on Thursday as part of a strategy to ensure "gender equal" patient care.

"We are happy that we now can finally open the first rape clinic for men following the rape clinic for women," Rasmus Jonlund, a press spokesperson for the Liberal Party, which led the campaign for the department in the Swedish capital, told The Local just ahead of the launch.

The opening was also celebrated by the Liberal Party's centre-right Alliance partners in Stockholm City Council; the Moderates, which are the largest group in the capital's coalition, the Christan Democrats and the Centre Party.

"Emergency medical care for raped men will be free of charge, and offered around the clock, all year," said Marie Ljungberg Schött, a local Moderate Party party politician and council representative on emergency care in a statement.

"So far there has been no specific place for men who are victims of rape to turn to. Therefore we in the Alliance have decided to change this."

In 2014, some 370 cases of sexual assault on men or boys were reported across Sweden, according to the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, although experts believe that the actual figure is much higher.

"We don't know how many people will use it (...) but we know that there are many who experience these kinds of assaults but don't currently seek care," said Jonlund.

"Our hope now is that many more of these hidden victims will also be able to get help now."