MALE SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT Sexual assault mayalsoinvolvefo of anotherperson, withany body-part orobject against aperson’s will orwithout consent. or embarrassment, anxietyand/or effects fromthe assault, including sleep distur Most survivorsofsexualassault and rape any non-consensual sexorunwanted penetration or gender, yetmalesexual assaultisastartlingreality formanymen: to anyone,regardless ofage, race,socioeconomic There aremany mythssurrounding sexual assault. Male Unique Sexual ically injuries, ordeveloping alcohol and drugproblems vors ofsexual assaultare at increased riskfo Men areat greater riskfor attempting suicide after anassault - workers oreven picking fightswith strangers. creased alcohol ordrug use, increased aggres themselves often resultinginself-destructi or risky behaviors Men aremore likely alcohol toincrease ordrug use orengage inotherself destructive lacerations whichmaybe exposed tobacterial infections. leave amale survivor exposed tosexually trans caused injury orfeellikethey canhandle iton Denial ofinjury orrisks sexual before you’reready. sault, orjust plainbad feelings. - Takethe time youneedand don’t pressure yourself tobe onesbecauseor startnew ships sexualcontac questioning their sexualityafterbeingassaulted. Itcanbedifficulttoresume sexual relation- relationships following anassault. Malesurv Fear ofnot being believed orridiculed time tosurvive— there’snothing unmasculine aboutthat. Feeling confused,isolatedorin whom theycanturn. not beingbelieved orbeing ridiculed resultingin medical attention orpsychiatric care. Many men pens towomen. Fewmen report theirassault or sault. These feelings arenormal, butremind y lead tointense feelings ofguilt,shame and inadequacy forthemale survivor ofsexualas- “they may question whether they ing toriskhis life orsevere injury toprotec believe thata manshould be abletodefend himself against allodds, orthatheshouldbe will- Most male survivors (asmany as95%of enced sexually assaulted, Research indicates thatabout 1in6boys(18 and under) and 1in10 adultmenhave experi- Guilt orembarrassment about not being abletoprotect ordefend oneself
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men whoare assaulted) do notreport it. ‐ bances, difficultyconcentrating, anger, shame ve behavior. Formany men, thiscan meanin- t hispride and self-respect. Manymalesurvivors Many people thinkthat sexual assault onlyhap- ivors maydevelop sexual difficulties or begin r depression, experiencing trouble atwork,phys- ourself thatyoudidwhat seemed bestatthe (anal, oral) with anybody-part orobject. their own – to“toughitout.”Sexualassault can siveness, likearguing withfriends orco- t maytrigger flashbacks, memories oftheas- status, ability,religion, sexual orientation, The truthisthatsexualassault canhappen mitted infections and wellas bruises, cutsand feeling isolated and thattheyhavenooneto will not tellfriends and familydue tofearof seek support from other resources, such as wanted the breasts, buttocks,groinor genitals t “manliness” and“masculinity” arecan
to besexually assaulted because deny thattheirassaultmay have ‐ Additionally, malesurvi- Rape Many menpull backfrom
is definedas ‐ Many people UNIQUE ISSUES AND COMMON MYTHS some sort ofsexualactivity range ofbehaviors that could constitute sexualas member thatanyone, regardless ofgender, can be Fact: Myth: A cannot rapeaman.woman rapes, occur in thecontextofhazing orother are assaulted ineverydayplaces,often by some prison rapeis averyrealand serious issue,it (or ejaculation) during an assaultdoes not indi erection isan involuntaryresponse and canresult Fact: Myth: Menonly getraped inprison. fend offanattack. of anykind.Finally, ifapersonis inshock or defend oneself. Additionally,alcoholor drugs canlower inhibitions andability towardoffanattack physical threats or weapons. Oftenthethreatof over theirvictims; forcecan range from subtle and control that following anassault sonnel. AsaresultGBTmen maybedeprived of to report asexual assaultdue tofearsofblame, “deserved it,”thathewas “payingtheprice” for hi self-loathing attached totheirsexuality andmaylead a GBTmantobelievehe somehow For gay,bisexual and/ortransgender men Men assaultedbyotherme somehow responsible forthe assault. es thatinsist thatwomen cannotassault menmaylead understand that thesexual contact was against hiswill; which compiled withthesocietalmessag- assumptions from friendsandfamily.Avictimas his faultorinsist thatitwa Feeling atfault forthe assault victims ofenjoying thesexual assault, leading some Embarrassment orconfusion about erection orejaculation during theassault Fact: Myth: Menaretoobigor too strongtoberaped. They candefendthemselves. between two men. men who rape othermen areheterosexual. Maleon male rape is not thesame as consensual sex Fact: Myth: rapemen Men orboys aregay.who Some are available. relationship, byanacquaintance, friend orfamily As asurvivor of violence you havechoices. No Support
While itistruethatmost perpetrators ofmale Rape is an actofpower and control andisnotab Believing andperpetuating thismyth cancontribute tokeeping malerape a secret. While Anyone can get raped, regardless of physical size
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surprised, theirbodymight“freeze” andbeunable to initiation rites associated withallmales groups. Sexual is importanttounderstandt cate consent.Perpetrato coercion orpsychological control totheuseof matter howyouexperienced thatviolence;in a bodily harmordeath overpowers thedesire to disbelief orintolerance bypolice or medical per- saulted byawomanmayf one theyknow. Manymalerapes, including gang member, astranger, oras ahate crime, services s sexual orientation. GBTmen mayalsohesitate legal protections and necessary medical care sault, itiscertainly possible forawomantoforce from stress, fear, pain, or anxiety. An erection fear,pain,oranxiety.Anerection from stress, sexual assault aremenitisimportanttore- a perpetrator. Additionally,ifyou consider the survivors toquestion their own experiences. out sexor sexual orientation. About98% of
Assault: toasurvivor feelingconfused orthathe is orstrength. Perpetrators oftenexertforce ual assault isanactofviolence, power ilt orresponsibility fortheassault.
ke thevictim feellikeitwas rs often accuse their oftenaccuse rs hat many malesurvivors ear thatotherswillnot ‐ Getting an