HELPING: Sexual assault counsellor Jack Miers, left, with Andy Muirhead

THERE aren’t many jokes on the topic of male sexual assault.

Which is why comedian Andy Muirhead before accepting an invitation to launch a pamphlet – and new focus – on the impacts of sexual assault and rape on males.

“I thought, what has this got to do with me? There’s no jokes in it, it’s dark, I don’t have any authority on it.  I don’t want to know about male sexual assault and rape,” said Muirhead, host of ABC radio and ABC TV’s Collectors.

“Then I realised that’s why I should be doing this.”

The Sexual Assault Support Service wants to tackle the stigma and secrecy that burdens the issue, with a pamphlet to debunk common myths.

Jack Miers, a child and adolescent counsellor, said sexual assault raised many issues for males, including identity and sexuality.

“There’s a fair bit of social stigma and myths that men can’t be sexually assaulted,” Mr. Miers said.

The pamphlet points out that males make up 16 to 20 per cent of reports of sexual assault, and women can perpetrate sexual violence.

SASS provides free support.  Phone 6231 1811 or, in a crisis, 6231 1817, 24 hours a day.