Against the wind: Male victimization and the ideal of manliness

Abstract

Boys and men are subjected to sexual assault, with perpetrators drawn from both sexes. This article discusses the necessity of recognizing the victim position as a possibility within an understanding of manliness. As well as being a necessary part of work with boys and men who have been subjected to abuse, the inclusion of the victim dimension will expand and add nuance to the perception of manliness in general. An argument for the involvement of social work in the field is offered based on an understanding of its mandate and responsibility as a profession.Findings: A traditional view of manliness stands in the way of men being taken seriously as assault victims. Despite more recent academic and professional discourses on men as victims, a traditional ideal of manliness is still a reality with considerable influence on institutions and attitudes. Sexually abused men tend to judge themselves according to an ideal of manliness that does not allow a man to be a victim, and are thereby silenced.Applications: These findings have relevance for social work students, for social work practice and supervision and for directing professional attention towards the aspects of gender issues represented in sexual abuse of males.

The Disclosure Experiences of Male Child Sexual Abuse Survivors

“…O' Leary and Barber (2008) explained that "negative attitudes towards male victims clearly have the potential to discourage boys from disclosing and men from discussing their experiences as abused children" (p. 136). Men are often seen by our society as being dominant, powerful, even sometimes aggressive; being a victim goes against gender norms and challenges society in what is regarded as weakness (Anderson, 2011;Alaggia, 2010;Conh, & Zeichner, 2006;Grossman, Kia-Keating, & Sorsoli, 2006;Sorsoli, et al, 2008;Hunter, 2009).…”

“…Although sexual predators are generally believed to only be male, women have also been found to sexually abuse children of both genders (Anderson, 2011;Deering & Mellor, 2011;Denov, 2004). While Grossman, et al (2006) noted that men were socialized to be sexually aggressive and in charge of their sexual encounters; it seems that the image of women as perpetrators is a more difficult one for society to accept as their gender is usually seen as more passive (Davies, & Rogers, 2006;Hunter, 2009).…”

“…Anderson (2011) explained that "men who have experienced sexual abuse are made invisible, hindered from acknowledging their experiences and seeking help" (p. 232). The participants revealed that having been victims of CSA had completely changed their view of themselves as men, often making them feel as if they had failed to be strong enough to control and stop the abusive situation.…”

“…A total of eleven articles that truly addressed the disclosure experience of men and women, or of only men were identified. Of these, six were conducted in North-America (Alaggia, 2010;Alaggia, 2005;Alaggia, 2004;Alaggia, & Millington, 2008;Easton, 2013;Sorsoli, et al, 2008), three in Europe (Anderson, 2011;O'Leary, & Barber, 2008;Schönbucher, et al, 2012) and, one each in Australia and New Zealand (Hunter, 2011;Dorahy, & Clearwater, 2012); none included men from the province of Quebec in their sample. Of the eleven articles that examined the disclosure experience of CSA victims only six solely took in to consideration the perspective of men in regards to their disclosure experience (Anderson, 2011;Alaggia, & Millington, 2008;Dorahy, & Clearwater, 2012;Grossman, et al, 2006;Easton, 2013;Sorsoli, et al, 2008).…”

“…While girls are often believed to be the obvious victims in cases of child sexual abuse (CSA); boys of all ages can also fall victim to the same type of abuse (Alaggia, & Millington, 2008). Although CSA is starting to get more attention socially, the abuse of boys remains taboo and is often ignored (Anderson, 2011).…”