#MenToo : explaining the prevalence, consequences and risk of sexual violence victimization in adult males

Abstract:Despite increasing social and scientific attention to sexual violence (SV), male victims often go unnoticed. Stereotypical ideas state that men cannot be victims of SV because they can defend themselves and would not suffer adverse consequences because men should enjoy every sexual opportunity. Becoming a victim of SV may be perceived by these men as a failure to live up to these masculine ideals. The results of this dissertation provided new insights into the prevalence of SV in men. While a number of known risk factors and perceived consequences were confirmed, examining the influence of gender norms led to new insights into the role they play in both the risk and consequences of SV in men. The results also showed how "less severe" forms of SV can have a large impact on male victims and how variations in the consequences of SV become apparent when the focus is on male victims. The influence of gender roles on male SV points to the important role society plays in male sexual victimization risk and the consequences experienced.

Publication year:2022

Accessibility:Closed