The document examines the issue of adult male sexual assault victims being overlooked. It hypothesizes that this is due to traditional views of masculinity which do not consider men as possible victims. It discusses common myths around male sexual assault and provides statistics showing that 1 in 25 men have been victims. While information is limited, male victims tend to experience greater psychological effects after assault due to feelings of shame. The conclusion is that awareness of male sexual assault is growing but more research is still needed due to underreporting.

1. Sexual Assault: A Look at
Male Victims
Emily Edwards

2. Are adult male victims of
sexual assault overlooked and
if so, why?
Question:

3. Hypothesis
 Because men are ideologically viewed as being
masculine, sexually aggressive/wanting, and
physically dominant, adult male sexual assault
victims are overlooked and are often not considered
victims at all.

4. Common
Myths
• Men are rarely sexually
abused:
1. Self-reliant
2. Defensive
3. Sexual identity
• Women can’t sexually
assault men
• Sexual assault against men
only occurs in prison or
other institutional settings
• Male rape is about sexual
orientation

5. And the
Victims are:
• Ages 18+
• 1 out of 25 men
• Rates fall between 0.6%-7.2%
• Rate for college men falls at
8.3%
• Men with disabilities are twice
as likely to be sexually abused
• 20% of male prison inmates
report forced sex incidents
• Homosexual, bisexual, and
feminine appearing men are
the most targeted victims

6. Who are the
Offenders?
• White, heterosexual men
-Desire to dominate and use
sex as a weapon
• Women tend to use
persuasion rather than
force
• Intimate partner
• Men are more likely than
woman to have multiple
assailants

7. Male Sexual Assault in the
Media

8. The Aftermath
 Sexually assaulted men report greater symptomatology than
assaulted woman
 Men tend to deny the assault and repress the situation
-Due to sex role violation associated with sexual victimization in society
-Fear of appearing powerless, weak and unmasculine
 More likely to be victims of depression, substance abuse, hostility,
violence, suicide, etc.

9. However…
 Information on male sexual assault is very limited
 Not large enough sample sizes to determine the
severity of the issue
 Issue of underreporting
 Most male sexual assault victims are offended as
children

10. In Conclusion
 The sexual assault of men is an important issue that
has been overlooked and underexamined
 Due to male rape myths, stigmas against male
victims, and fears of questioned sexuality, men do
not feel comfortable reporting their incidents and
therefore, the sexual assaults are underplayed
 Awareness is increasing and becoming more
frequently studied and talked about

11. Works Cited
 Elliott, Diana M., Doris S. Mok, and John Briere. "Adult Sexual Assault: Prevalence,
Symptomatology, And Sex Differences In The General Population." Journal Of
Traumatic Stress 17.3 (2004): 203-211. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.
 Kassing, Leslee R., and Loreto R. Prieto. "The Rape Myth And Blame-Based Beliefs Of
Counselors-In-Training Toward Male Victims Of Rape." Journal Of Counseling &
Development 81.4 (2003): 455-461. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.
 Masho, Saba W., and Lisa Anderson. "Sexual Assault In Men: A Population-Based Study
Of Virginia." Violence & Victims 24.1 (2009): 98-110. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web.
1 Dec. 2015.
 Struckman-Johnson, Cindy. "Forced Sex On Dates: It Happens To Men, Too." Journal Of
Sex Research 24.1-4 (1988): 234. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 1 Dec. 2015.