Male victims of rape and sexual abuse

Abstract

This paper is an introduction to the literature on the sexual assault of adult males. Various myths concerning the survivors, perpetrators and plausibility of such assaults are challenged. Problems relating to official statistics on the prevalence of such assaults are briefly discussed. Prevalence data from a community sample and a study of gay men are presented. There currently exists little empirical research on the psychological sequelae of sexual assaults on men. However, data from case studies of men assaulted by men or women have found that survivors may exhibit a number of symptoms, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and sexual problems including confusion about sexual orientation. Evidence concerning optimal treatment strategies for survivors is not available. However, a number of points relating to the early and delayed management of survivors are suggested.