Male Child Sexual Abuse: A Phenomenology of Betrayal

Abstract

Being deeply understood relies on the ability of the social work clinician to have authentic and genuine empathy for their client. This phenomenological study sought to understand the lived experience of men sexually abused as boys in their childhood, and what life is like for them as sexual abuse survivors in adulthood. Analyses of fourteen male survivors' narratives into the abuse they experienced as children, and the meaning they make of that experience today, offer insights for therapists. Findings suggest that therapists have a responsibility to ask male clients about sexual victimization, even when this is not the presenting problem but they exhibit sexual abuse related problems; an obligation to educate one's self on responding therapeutically to disclosure; a duty to receive training to counsel sexually victimized males; a responsibility to advocate for the development of men's services; and taking an active role in shifting attitudes towards men's vulnerabilities.

The Disclosure Experiences of Male Child Sexual Abuse Survivors

“…Davies and Rogers (2006) further explained that by openly publicizing rape and abuse against women, feminists have inadvertently created an atmosphere in which male victims are either forgotten or ignored. Alaggia and Millington (2008) further noted that while research often seems to focus on cases in which men are abusers and victims are female, the media also contributes to perpetuating this image. Without necessarily realizing the impact it has, the media circulates information to the general population through newspapers and broadcasts supporting the concept that CSA victims are of female gender.…”

“…Studies that address CSA generally focus solely on female victims, and when they include men in their samples, the numbers are often so small that their experiences become either overlooked or lumped-in with those of female survivors (Alaggia, & Millington, 2008;Diamanduros, et al, 2012;Dubé, et al, 2005;Easton, Renner, & O'Leary, 2013;O'Leary, & Gould, 2010;Sorsoli, et al, 2008;Ullman, 2003;Valente, 2005). While female victims of CSA are indeed more common than male victims, their experience becomes the norm as the abuse history of men are often ignored by researchers (Price-Robertson, 2012).…”

“…Gender norms therefore reinforce the tendency for male victims of CSA to blame themselves and feel ashamed of the abuse they suffered as children . Alaggia and Millington (2008) further explained that it is difficult for men to disclose or seek treatment because of the social norms and stereotypes regarding masculinity, strength, and power; men are not supposed to be victims; they should not be weak because those are female qualities; in other words "male weakness is associated with feminine traits, something that is devalued in sexist cultures" such as ours (p. 265).…”

“…However, dysfunction and sexual risk-taking were more common in men (Valente, 2005;Deering & Mellor, 2011). Alaggia and Millington (2008) found that male victims of CSA sometimes demonstrated a great deal of anger and sexual aggression, as well as sexual development issues. The authors noted that some of the men in their study reported various levels of sexual dysfunction ranging from promiscuous behavior to being involved in the pornography industry or working as male prostitutes.…”

“…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).…”