Male Victims of sexual assault

How often are men abused or sexually assaulted?

 Men are the victims of about 2.9 million intimate partner related physical assaults. (1)

Intimate partner violence can happen to people of any gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age or ability. It can happen between married couples, ex-partners, families, and non-romantically involved people such as roommates or friends.

1 in 33 men have experienced a completed or attempted sexual assault in his lifetime. (2) 

61% of male college students report having been sexually harassed at their university. (3)

If so many men are being abused and sexually assaulted, why don't we hear about it?

• Men may be embarassed and ashamed of losing their masculinity. In our society, men are expected to be strong and able to protect themselves from attacks. If it was revealed they they were abused, especially by a woman, they may be afraid that they'll lose their sense of what it means to be a man and no one will respect them.

• Men may feel no one will believe them. If someone sees a male with bruises or a black eye, it will be assumed that he was in a fight, not that he is being abused.  

• Men may be unaware of their resources. Many resources offered for women are also offered to men. It is more common for a woman to be involved in an abusive relationship, but it is acknowledged that men can be victims.  

 

What male victims can do:

• Take the abuse seriously. Violence that seems harmless at first can escalate.

• Be aware of your resources. There is help for you. You can start by looking at some of these sites: 
  www.tcmc.org/program1.html; 
  www.rainn.org/get-information/types-of-sexual-assault/male-sexual-assault;
  www.pandys.org/malesurvivors.html
  www.MaleSurvivor.org; 
  www.bigvoicepictures.com/boys-and-men-healing;
  www.menstuff.org/issues/byissues/domestic violence.html#malevictims
  

• Do not keep it a secret. Find one person who you trust and tell them about the abuse. In your own time, develop a support system.

• If you are in an abusive relationship or if you have been sexually victimized, visit the What to do if Abused or the What to do if Assaulted page. The information there applies to men, women and transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.

 

 

1. www.ncadv.org

2. www.rainn.org

3. www.sexualharassmentsupport.org/SHEd.html