“I Didn’t Feel I Was A Victim”: A Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Male-on-male Survivors of Rape and Sexual Abuse

Widanaralalage, B. Kennath; Hine, Benjamin A.; Murphy, Anthony; Murji, Karim

doi:10.1080/15564886.2022.2069898

Cited by 34 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…Literature shows that SA can impact quality of life and functional outcomes on physical and sexual health, behaviors, nances, social life, and psychological and psychiatric health (1,(9)(10)(11). Psychological and psychiatric outcomes are the most studied outcomes of SA, particularly PTSD given its strong relationship to SA.…”

Section: Sexual Assaults and Negative Functional Outcomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of psycho-socio-judicial trajectories and factors associated with PTSD after recent sexual assault: the IADViSe study protocol for a multi-centric prospective study using mixed methods and artificial intelligence

Fedele

Trousset

Schalk

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Background Sexual assault (SA) has numerous negative outcomes on physical, sexual and mental health, social life, financial stability and overall quality of life. It is known as one of the most traumatogenic event. However, not all people who experienced SA will develop negative functional outcomes. Multiple risk and protection factors can influence their psycho-socio-judicial trajectories. The way by which these factors impact trauma adaptation are not always clear. Guided by an ecological framework, this project aims to (1) describe psycho-socio-judicial one-year trajectories of people recently exposed to SA, to (2) identify predictive factors for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at first forensic examination using artificial intelligence and to (3) explore the notions of “victim” and “trauma” and the needs and experiences of people who have been sexually assaulted. Methods and design This longitudinal multi-centric cohort study will use a mixed-method approach. Quantitative cohort data will be collected based on questionnaires repeated in time, starting from first forensic examination and covering up to a year after the SA, measuring factors associated with PTSD, mental, physical, social and overall functional outcomes, and psycho-socio-judicial trajectories. Qualitative data will be based on semi-structured interviews with members of the cohort, people who experienced SA but not included in the cohort, and actors professionally involved in their psycho-socio-judicial care. Bivariate and multivariate analyses will be performed to study the associations between each variable and mental, physical, social and judicial outcomes. Predictive analyses will be conducted on multiple prediction algorithms to predict PTSD. Qualitative data will be integrated to the quantitative data to identify psycho-socio-judicial trajectories of participants and data on the representations of the place and usefulness of the notions of “trauma” and “victims” will be used independently. Discussion This project will collect numerous data never before collected over such long periods, which will lead to unprecedented results on psycho-socio-judicial trajectories of people who experienced SA. By being based on the entire psycho-socio-judicial chain and on the perspective of people who experienced SA, this work will allow to make innovative recommendations to improve their care at all levels, from the initial forensic examination.

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Section: Sexual Assaults and Negative Functional Outcomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of psycho-socio-judicial trajectories and factors associated with PTSD after recent sexual assault: the IADViSe study protocol for a multi-centric prospective study using mixed methods and artificial intelligence

Fedele

Trousset

Schalk

et al. 2023

Preprint

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“…Men were more likely to disclose when they could prove they were physically incapacitated, particularly in cases where the perpetrator was a woman (Weiss, 2010, p. 284). Clearly, men's desire to have irrefutable evidence of their victimization (e.g., injuries, physical incapacitation) is indicative of how male survivors often frame their experiences around gendered narratives that portray men as strong and powerful, thus serving as barriers to disclosing experiences of interpersonal violence (Widanaralalage et al, 2022).…”

Section: Critique 3: Challenges To Disclosure and Reportingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Norms include being mentally and physically strong, assertive, sexually independent, dominant, and being able to protect oneself against any physical threat (e.g., Levant et al, 2010Levant et al, , 2013Mahalik et al, 2003;McCreary et al, 2005). Masculinity is a vital concept that must be discussed in understanding not only the socio-cultural barriers encountered by male survivors but also when discussing the harms experienced by all-male victims (Widanaralalage et al, 2022). Surprisingly, however, DiMarco et al fail to examine this vital component of men's lived experiences in sufficient detail.…”

Section: Critique 3: Challenges To Disclosure and Reportingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, we invite readers to refrain from exclusively viewing male sexual victimization within heteronormative frameworks. Again, we are clear that the phenomenon of femaleon-male sexual violence must be treated with equal seriousness; however, to assume that all male victims are cisgender and heterosexual is extremely damaging as it neglects the reality and lived experiences of men who are sexually victimized by other men (see Widanaralalage et al, 2022). Most importantly, it dismisses the experiences of male communities who are already routinely marginalized in our society.…”

Section: Critique 4: the Heteronormative Analysis Of Male Sexual Vict...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Distorted Reality: A Commentary on DiMarco et al. (2022) and the Question of Male Sexual Victimization

Widanaralalage

Reed

Antunes

et al. 2022

Sexuality & Culture

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Our commentary responds to claims made by DiMarco and colleagues in an article published in this journal that the majority of victims of rape are men and that 80% of those who rape men are women. Although we strongly believe that studying male sexual victimization is a highly important research and policy endeavour, we have concerns with the approach taken by DiMarco and colleagues to discuss these incidents. Specifically, we critique their paper by addressing the definitions of rape used by the authors, questioning their interpretation of national victim surveys, evaluating their analysis of the underreporting of male rape, and highlighting the heteronormative framework they use to outline the landscape of male sexual victimization. With this commentary, we call for a holistic, nuanced, and balanced study of male sexual victimization that recognizes the reality of both female-on-male and male-on-male violence, the experiences of survivors, and multi-layered barriers that male victims often encounter.

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“…Extant literature associates TI with survivors' reporting personal experiences of psychological nature such as humiliation, guilt, and self-blame from the perceived failure to protect themselves during the rape incident (14,20,21).…”

Section: (Which Was Not Certified By Peer Review)mentioning

confidence: 99%

I did not scream. I could not; I was terrified. I just followed them…I blocked my mind. Then they all raped me: A narrative inquiry on the onset of tonic immobility among women rape victims in Nigeria

Gbahabo

Duma

2022

Preprint

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Tonic immobility (TI) is a common uncontrollable autonomic mammalian response to an extremely fearful situation. It is one of the most immediate devastating consequences of rape and remains poorly understood. While controversies over its definition persist among researchers, this also reflects the care for and support to victims. The study aimed to explore and describe the onset of TI and the meaning attached to the experience among women raped victims in Nigeria. The study design was the qualitative narrative inquiry approach. Criterion and purposive sampling were conducted across four post-rape care facilities in Lagos, Nigeria, to recruit 13 participants. In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide to generate data that were thematically analysed. The findings of the study reveal five themes relating to the onset of TI as follows: the first two focused on the experience of TI: (1) the onset of TI prior to rape due to perceived imminent danger, (2) the onset of TI as a self-protection mechanism from further harm) while the last three relate to the meaning-making of the experience of TI (3) self-loathing as a meaning attached to TI, (4) suicidal ideations as a meaning attached to TI, and (5) divine intervention as a meaning attached to TI. Conclusion: The findings underscore the experiences and meanings that participants attach to TI following rape. There is a strong likelihood that tonic-immobility is not an uncommon experience for rape victims, but that in the absence of research, specialized care on the condition, and considering its associated consequences will haunt many women, affect their psychological well-being and their entire quality of life. Describing the phenomenon as it is experienced by the participants is critical because understanding the situation is the first step toward effective appropriate management.

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“I Didn’t Feel I Was A Victim”: A Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Male-on-male Survivors of Rape and Sexual Abuse

Cited by 34 publications

References 78 publications

Identification of psycho-socio-judicial trajectories and factors associated with PTSD after recent sexual assault: the IADViSe study protocol for a multi-centric prospective study using mixed methods and artificial intelligence

Identification of psycho-socio-judicial trajectories and factors associated with PTSD after recent sexual assault: the IADViSe study protocol for a multi-centric prospective study using mixed methods and artificial intelligence

Distorted Reality: A Commentary on DiMarco et al. (2022) and the Question of Male Sexual Victimization

I did not scream. I could not; I was terrified. I just followed them…I blocked my mind. Then they all raped me: A narrative inquiry on the onset of tonic immobility among women rape victims in Nigeria

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