RAPE FEATURE: POLICE figures show that only one male rape has been reported in Swindon in the last 12 months. But one victim, who now runs a helpline for other men, says he knows of dozens that have gone unreported.

Steve Bevan, 45, was raped by a family member when he was three years old and was repeatedly abused by a family friend and two other men when he was 15.

But he didn't seek counselling until his 20s.

He eventually set up the help group Swindon Survivors 11 years ago and since then it has dealt with 700 calls from men who have been the victim of rape or serious sexual assault.

Steve says: "Roughly a third of callers to Swindon's rape helplines are male, but nearly all of these crimes go unreported.

"Like them, I would never have considered reporting what happened to me. The thought of going along to the police station terrified me and the same goes for the majority of men who contact us.

"The main problem is that society as a whole says men are impervious to sex attacks because they are strong and able to defend themselves.

"And, incredibly, male rape figures are still not recorded in their own right by the Home Office, even though the assistant chief commissioner has publicly said that rapes of both men and women are now more common than any other kind of crime.

"Male victims are scared that they'll be accused of being gay, or of 'asking for it' or of 'looking for sex'.

But there are lots of men out there who are in a mess because of what's happened to them," said Steve.

"The Sanctuary is a great facility and maybe if there had been a facility like that when I was attacked I may have reported it.

"But we estimate that there are around 19,000 men in Swindon who have suffered from either sexual abuse and we will continue to see these attacks going unreported until the Government recognises they exist."