Men are notorious for not asking directions, not reading assembly instructions, and not seeking professional help for medical problems. They tend to avoid marriage counseling—or any kind of counseling, for that matter. MensRefuge aims to do the impossible—to get men to open up and seek guidance and direction about what men should be in an otherwise confusing world.

Men are notorious for not asking directions, not reading assembly instructions, and not seeking professional help for medical problems. They tend to avoid marriage counseling—or any kind of counseling, for that matter. MensRefuge aims to do the impossible—to get men to open up and seek guidance and direction about what men should be in an otherwise confusing world.

"We’re getting back to the basics," says Scott William, founder of MensRefuge. "If television is allowed to define men today, I’m not sure what valuable role men would play in this world. Fumbling, girl-watching, beer-guzzling, in need of a woman to take-control types? We are called to be much more."

With an all-volunteer staff of men providing the backbone of the personal support feature, MensRefuge offers what most men are afraid to do—seek help and advice. The site provides a Christian, biblical basis for providing support and encouragement to men. Topics are as vast as the variety of issues that men face regularly: addictions such as pornography or gambling, life issues like dating, marriage, finances, and depression.

And that is just the beginning. Using a one-to-one personal support area, men using the service interact with a volunteer in a private area, not seen by other visitors or other men. "You get your own mentor to open up to and discuss issues. The healing process of opening up helps tremendously,” comments William.

Pending the question load and topic, MensRefuge aims to offer an initial response within 24 hours. Questions are rarely answered in one sitting, as most issues can’t be fixed with a simple response. It is an ongoing process that may take weeks, months, or years of interaction between the men involved.

Take for example, we will call the man Jim. Jim is 30, he seemed to just having the perfect life. A great job with great pay, a great girl, what more could he have asked for? In the blink of an eye, Jim lost his job, his money and his girl, in that order. Jim was forced to move back in with his parents, he had nothing left. Depression set in. He had lost all hope. He contacted MensRefuge and today, he has hope, he is seeing that he is not alone. The story doesn't end there, it is still unfolding.

In addition to this personal attention, MensRefuge also provides an interactive online community where men can openly discuss issues. Regularly updated content and articles on the site include news, articles and more, giving food for thought on a weekly basis.

About MensRefuge
Launched in February of 2004, MensRefuge helps men everyday with issues facing them. MensRefuge is online at www.mensrefuge.com.