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Program Returning to Chatham

By Ellwood Shreve
Chatham Daily News
December 10, 2013

http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/2013/12/10/program-returning-to-chatham

Tom Wilken, author of Rebuilding Your House of Self-Respect: Men recovering in group from childhood sexual abuse, and project leader of Silence to Hope, says 2014 is the final year the project will receive funding from the Diocese of London. (ELLWOOD SHREVE, The Daily News)

A valuable project that helps survivors of male sexual abuse will have to try to survive without its major source of funding.

Tom Wilken said the Diocese of London has committed another $80,000 to the Silence to Hope (STH) project for 2014, which will be the eighth and final year it will provide the funding.

“We've had a good run, we've had some really good sponsorship from the Diocese,” he said. “We've been able to do a lot of good.

“We wish it could continue, but at least we got what we've got,” he added.

The Diocese began providing the funding to help male sexual assault survivors who had been victimized by a representative of the Catholic church. Wilken said the funding is not limited to male victims abused by clergy, but for any man who has been sexually abused.

He said three sessions, running for 12 weeks, go year-round in London and Windsor. Sessions, which also ran in Chatham, will begin again at the end of January now that a replacement has been found for the previous facilitator, who passed away.

The STH project provides free sexual abuse survivor groups; community referrals; education and awareness programs; workshops and weekend retreats.

Wilken is also the author of Rebuilding Your House of Self Respect: Men recovering in group from childhood sexual abuse, which also led to an accompanying workbook.

When Wilken began writing RYHSR, chronicling the painful experiences of eight Chatham-Kent survivors of male sexual abuse, he was just hoping it would be printed.

Since being published in 2003, it has become the “bible” for thousands of survivors and has been translated into Norwegian, to help victims within the prison system and addiction-related programs there. RYHSR material is also used in six countries including New Zealand and Czechoslovakia.

“I'm very thankful and grateful that what was started with little groups running in Chatham, Ont., turning into the book and workbook, just seems to keep snowballing into something greater and greater,” Wilken said.

“We are the largest education and awareness program of its kind in Canadian history and that started from Chatham-Kent,” he added.

Wilken is not sure what the future holds, but he is confident something will come about to help the program continue to grow.

Male victims of sexual abuse interested in seeking help through the Silence to Hope can call Wilken at 519-676-7613 or toll-free at 1877-676-7613, or by e-mail at silencetohope@hotmail.com. More information is also available online at www.silencetohope.com.

Nominate your favourite politician

There is a website that shows the love for politicians and Chatham Coun. Marjorie Crew must be feeling it, because she's one of the nominees.

Samara, a non-partisan charitable organization that encourages Canadians to get involved in politics, is celebrating Everyday Political Citizens, as well as unsung political heroes such as campaigners, activists, community organizers, and members of local riding associations who work through the political system to improve their communities, and whose contributions often go unrecognized.

In January a jury of Canadians will pick two Everyday Political Citizens of 2013. Winners will receive a tablet stocked with Canadian books and music, and a chat with juror Rick Mercer.

Crew has been nominated by Shirley Fowler, who describes the councillor as “one of the most down-to-earth people and politicians I have ever met and works tirelessly for her community.”

Fowler notes Crew was instrumental in founding East Side Pride, which helped address crime in her community and continues to be a vital organization.

“She truly cares about her community and its citizens,” Fowler said.

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We want to share good news stories with our community, so if you know of an interesting person or have a unique experience to tell us about, e-mail ellwood.shreve@sunmedia.ca or call 519-354-2000 ext. 310.

 

 

 

 

 




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