UK’s first such plan follows case of Reynhard Sinaga, who committed 136 rapes against dozens of men in the area

Greater Manchester has become the first area in the UK to enact a strategy for tackling gender-based violence against men and boys.

The plan will include the creation of independent domestic violence advisers to specialise in supporting men and boys, and a male victims service coordinator role, to help enhance therapeutic services.

David Gadd, a professor of criminology at the University of Manchester and one of the plan’s co-authors, said: “Gender-based violence can be any form of violence that has a kind of gendered or sexed aspect to it. So a sexual assault on a man is clearly gender-based violence.”

He added: “Domestic abuse against a man is gender-based violence because the gendered aspect of it, the gendered expectations in the relationship, direct and give meaning to the behaviour.”

The plan will work with male victims at risk of committing sexual offences or causing harm, including through the Violence Reduction Unit, and extend Greater Manchester’s housing reciprocal arrangement.

The arrangement, in place across all 10 local authorities, allows victims to be rehoused in suitable accommodation in any borough. Previously, victims of domestic abuse could only be rehoused within their own council area, which could put them at risk of further trauma or abuse.

Awareness of the need for a dedicated male plan came in part after the case of Reynhard Sinaga, who in January 2020 was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison for committing 136 rapes against 48 men in his Manchester flat.

According to police evidence, over 30 months Sinaga raped more than 200 men – the majority of whom identified as heterosexual. The case highlighted the barriers men face in coming forward to report crimes perpetrated against them.

In the year ending June 2024, Greater Manchester police recorded 9,904 offences of rape and sexual assault, of which 1,836 – equivalent to one in five – were related to male victims.

On average, male victims in Greater Manchester take four years to report a sexual assault to the police, and less than 4% of reports result in a charge.

The plan is part of a 10-year gender-based violence strategy and has the backing of Greater Manchester’s gender-based violence board, which includes representatives from several women’s organisations.

It was also co-authored by the founder and chief executive of We Are Survivors, Duncan Craig, who is a survivor of sexual assault, alongside the mayor and deputy mayor of Greater Manchester and other local organisations working in the sector.

The plan is partly about “changing that narrative and recognising that it’s perfectly recognisable and acceptable for men to say that they have been victims”, Gadd said, and that “to expect a proper level of service provision support for that is key”.

He added: “I think the fear is probably always that in doing so, we take away from services for women and girls. And that really shouldn’t happen.”

Craig said: “In the absence of a coherent national strategy that tackles gender-based violence against men and boys, Greater Manchester is leading the way in launching our own plan.”

He added: “Victims of gender-based violence face numerous barriers to reporting and seeking support, including fear of disbelief, social ostracism, and lack of awareness about available help. For male victims, there are additional challenges such as societal expectations about masculinity, fear of homophobic reactions, and concerns about the consequences of disclosure.”

Manchester’s deputy mayor, Kate Green, said: “The government’s priority to halve violence against women and girls in the next 10 years is one we wholeheartedly support. “But we don’t want anyone to experience gender-based violence and abuse, and that includes men and boys, and that’s why in Greater Manchester, we’ve always had a gender-based violence strategy that has that broader reach.

She added: “I think we do need to recognise the distinct experiences of women and girls, and the distinct experiences of men and boys. And a gender-based violence strategy that makes that distinction, and is clear that it needs to be able to address the needs of both, is something we think is right for Greater Manchester, but I actually think it is right for everywhere in the country.”

  • Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html