Mental health articles

Sexual Victimization of Men
Less than 5% of reported sexual assault victims are male (Abbey, 2002).
However, these cases are underreported by victims because of the social
stigma, fear of not being believed, and lack of knowledge about where to
report or get help. Using a broad defi nition of sexual victimization, Struckman-
Johnson and Struckman-Johnson (1994) found that one third of male
university students had experienced at least one coercive episode since the age
of 16; 12% of these incidents involved physical restraint, physical intimidation,
harm, or threat of harm. Because a majority of male victimization is perpetrated
by other men (Abbey, 2002), the sequelae of sexual trauma for victims
can include sexual identity confusion and concern about whether others will
question their sexual orientation (King & Woollett, 1997).
Th ough interventions for working with male victims tend to be based on
clinical experience with female victims, there are specifi c professional and
self-help books aimed at working with males (e.g., Lew, 2004). In some ways,
male victims respond diff erently from female victims. For males, the stigma
and shame accompanying the trauma are particularly diffi cult given the myth
that males should be able to protect themselves. Unlike women, who generally
show tearfulness, withdrawal, and fear aft er an assault, men may react with increased aggression and hostility; destructive and illegal behaviors; abuse of
alcohol and other substances; sexually aggressive acting out; and minimization
of the impact of the assault (Mezey & King, 2000).

Anthony was an 18-year-old Hispanic male who came to counseling
because of diffi culty achieving erections with his girlfriend. He said
that aft er a date a year ago with a woman friend, he’d let her stay in
his room because her roommates were away for the weekend and she
did not feel safe staying alone. In the middle of the night, he awoke to
fi nd her kissing him and placing her hand down his pants to masturbate
him. When he resisted her eff orts to put his penis in her mouth,
she became angry and made degrading comments about his sexuality,
and they did not speak again. Now, whenever he was in a sexual situation
with his current girlfriend, he had intrusive thoughts of this event.
Th e counselor helped Anthony realize that he had been the victim of
sexual assault by dispelling myths and stereotypes that men cannot
be sexually victimized by women. Counseling focused on decreasing
Anthony’s shame, self-blame, and embarrassment and increasing his
sense of control, positive self-statements, and ability to express anger
and resentment.