125 lives are lost every week to suicide. 75% of all UK suicides are male.
mantra creates a safe space for men and boys to offload and share their burden without judgement or fear of shame.
"Sometimes it's just about knowing you're not on your own, and that it's okay to be a bloke and talk about 'bloke problems'."
We believe the 'macho' environment of a martial arts gym or sports club may be the perfect place to break down bravado and create a safe space in which men and boys can open up about their concerns and stresses.
In the same way we campaign for women only classes via #PunchLikeAGirl, we believe the stats require a safe-space for guys too. Men accounted for three quarters of all suicides registered in 2019 and is now the highest it's been in two decades. This needs to change.
Why mantra?
We believe that the key to intervening when somebody is in crisis is getting them to open up and share their concerns. For men, this can often be very difficult to achieve.
mantra provides a safe space and a listening ear, within the martial arts and sporting communities, where men and boys can discreetly approach a trained instructor or coach to offload their burdens. We provide specialist training to coaches and instructors to help them deal with this and we provide the logistics for clubs to make this safe space available to guys without embarrassing them in the process.
It goes without saying any instructor would support anyone in crisis, regardless of gender. mantra is about overcoming the overwhelmingly skewed statistics of male suicides in the UK, and encouraging guys to open up in a 'macho' environment without judgement or criticism.
“Higher rates of suicide among middle-aged men in recent years might be because this group is more likely to be affected by economic adversity, alcoholism and isolation. It could also be that this group is less inclined to seek help.”
(ONS)
From our close work with instructors and clubs, we know that (regardless of gender) throwing on a set of gloves and having an amazing workout, striking a target, distracting the mind and releasing tension can make all the difference. With a qualified coach who knows what to look for and trained to say the right things before making a referral to a health care professional, we're confident mantra can save lives.
Get Involved And Help Us Tackle Male Suicide
There are lots of ways to get involved, and it doesn't have to involve financial contributions.
SEE HOW YOU CAN HELPReferences:
CALM for male suicide stats, along with The Guardian & ONS for comparisons.