About Male Sexual Violence
Men experience sexual violence at higher rates than people realize or talk about. Often times these assaults occur before the age of 18 and the boy/man knows his attacker.
The Facts
- Men can be raped as adults and sexually abused as children.
- Men experience the same symptoms women do after being sexually abused.
- It is just as important for a man to receive counseling for sexual trauma as it is for a woman.
- Sexual abuse does not cause homosexuality.
- Being abused as a child does not mean you will grow up to be a perpetrator.
What can be unique for male survivors
- Men may not seek counseling/support as often as women, especially for issues of sexual abuse.
- Belief in societal myths that men always want sex and would never refuse a sexual encounter.
- Agreement with societal notions that early sexual experiences are a ‘normal’ part of a boy’s life.
- Males may question their sexual orientation if they were sexually abused by a man.
- Men may experience confusion and anger over loss of control of their body and any physical response they had to the assault.
Additional resources for men
- Lew, M. (2004). Victims no longer: Men recovering from incest and other child sexual abuse (2nd Ed.). New York, NY: Harper Collins Press.
- www.malesurvivor.org
- https://1in6.org/
