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Save Our Boys. Men's Week

FEM

Key Facts:

Men's Week - STand up for our boys!

SAVE OUR BOYS

 

“Boys and men feel so much, yet they rarely talk about the turbulence of their emotions, especially country boys, as they confront suicide, suicidal ideation and depression. Mental health is real. It’s not good enough to abandon them. It can never be good enough. The major reason I wrote The Edge of Limits, is that boys can identify with story and critically make decisions.” says educational consultant and author Gervay.

 

In 2022, 2,455 Australian males died by suicide. That’s nearly 19 suicides for every 100,000 males in Australia and nearly seven men per day. About 75% of people who died by suicide were males and 25% were females. The suicide rates for males and females in Australia haven’t changed over the past 10 years. Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australian males aged 15 to 44. Almost one in three deaths of Australian males aged 15 to 24 are caused by suicide; one in four deaths for males aged 25-44.

 

Mental ill-health remains high among Australian men, with up to 25% experiencing a diagnosed mental health disorder in their lifetime. Anxiety was the most common mental health disorder among boys (9%). Depression was the most common mental health disorder among young men and adults, steadily increasing in prevalence from age 15-17. Australian men reported that they are lonely. Loneliness was significantly associated with experiences of depression and suicidality among Australian men, above and beyond area-level socio-economic disadvantage and unemployment.

 

“Depression is a mental health condition that causes you to feel sad or have a low mood for at least 2 weeks. The symptoms of depression in young people involve changes in the way you think, feel or behave and may include physical changes. Some people with depression also have thoughts of suicide or self-harm. Heavy social media use may be linked to depression in some young people. It's best to manage depression with the help of a doctor or mental health professional.”  https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/depression-in-young-people

 

Only a quarter of men said they would be likely or very likely to seek help from a mental health professional if they experienced an emotional or personal problem. Almost 25% said they would not seek help from anyone. Adult men said they would be least likely to seek help from a phone helpline, with around 80% indicating they would be very unlikely or unlikely to seek help from this source. Many Australian males were not accessing professional support. Australian Institute of Family Studies.

 

Yet the news is filled with the horror of misogyny, racism, sexism from teen and young adult boys and men. The young footballers who attacked a girl was in the news. The ‘boys’ clubs, boys in schools both private, public and co-ed are news. There is an increasing number of boys and young males following the declared misogynist Andrew Tate with 2 million Instagram followers, 10.7 million Twitter/X followers, over 5 million YouTube subscribers, and 1.1 million Substack subscribers.

 

How can we change the culture and the change of underlying narrative of suicide, suicide ideation, depression and anti-social behaviour?

 

Governments are acting responsibly with curriculum that include educational units on Consent. There is direct action in advertisements in all forms, immersion in discussion and action. However, why is it not working?

 

Gervay confronts one of the most talked about topics today. CONSENT. With challenging insights, she unlocks critical choices on consent and courage. Exploding the conventions of ‘how to teach CONSENT’, The Edge of Limits honestly and sensitively portrays the complexities of boys as they confront sexuality, power, and consent. Boys can be challenged and girls gain invaluable insight. Story has the power of identification, reasoning, opposing peer group pressure, parental expectations, finding the values, that challenge and confront young males.

The Edge of Limits is confronting, real literature that take boys to the edge to find their answers.

 

*****

The Edge of Limits

The sensational new book, 'The Edge of Limits' is a compelling, confronting and important book that examines what it means to be young and male in the 21st Century.

Queensland Booksellers

“An epic story, beautifully written with clear spare prose and the ability to go right to the heart of young males in modern society.” Professor Carol Kayrooz, University of Canberra

‘Gervay gets better with every book’ Sydney Morning Herald.

 

 

Susanne Gervay OAM

Awarded the International Social Justice Literature Prize, you'll find Gervay planting 3000 mangroves in Kiribati. Speaking in Istanbul to audiences about NO bullying. Bringing literacy to remote indigenous schools. An educational consultant, Gervay is tackling the issue of consent boys and men in The Edge of Limits and opening truthful dialogue on the future of gender relations. https://sgervay.com/the-edge-of-limits

 

Media:- Contact Tory for a copy of The Edge of Limits

Marketing: Tory – [email protected];

[email protected]; Ph: 0413 050 922

The Edge of Limits is out available at all good booksellers.

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Media:- Contact Tory for a copy of The Edge of Limits

Marketing: Tory – [email protected];

[email protected]; Ph: 0413 050 922