Can Men Be Sexually Assaulted?

By Team BLAM

When you hear the words rape or sexual assault who do you tend to think the victim is?  Many people admit that they automatically think of a woman or girl. However, men and boys are often the victims of the crimes of sexual assault, sexual abuse, and rape. In fact, in the U.S., about 10% of all victims are male 1. And, I think that number is probably very low due to under reporting. Because of the culture we live in, men and boys often don’t feel comfortable talking about what has happened to them.

In the African American community I think it may be even harder for males to admit to themselves let alone someone else the fact that  they have been violated. If you’re reading this and you or someone you know is dealing with a past or more recent sexual assault, abuse, or rape—PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE. MEN CAN BE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED TOO.

 

What does that mean?

It means you need:

Support

Compassion

Reassurance that it IS NOT YOUR FAULT

A safe space to explore what’s happened

Tools to move beyond the trauma

What doesn’t it mean?

It doesn’t mean that you:

are weak

asked for it

need to get over it or “man up”

you were not “really assaulted, abused, or raped”

should be ashamed and keep what has happened to yourself

 

Get help. Contact the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network(RAINN) for assistance.

 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

 

1 This percentage provided by the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault.