The Journey of Obtaining Services: The Realities of Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Abstract

This article explores the journey of obtaining services for adult male survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA). Social norms and stereotypes regarding masculinity and male victimization weigh heavily on service use and on the accessibility of CSA services. Telephone interviews conducted with 17 adult male survivors of CSA were analyzed using a combination of phenomenological and interpretive description methods. Two main themes emerged from the data. The first theme, related to the experiences of obtaining services for their CSA history, explores the factors that motivated them to seek help, and their level of satisfaction with the services received. The second theme involved the challenges faced to obtain these services, including the length of time they had to wait, issues with trusting the wider system, and the difficulty finding services for men. Although different pathways exist to obtain services, the support received was generally found to be quite helpful. The resilience of the participants was noted in their capacity to seek services despite the many challenges they faced. The results suggest that changes must be undertaken at a policy level to reflect the reality and needs of male CSA survivors, and to increase their social recognition.

Disclosing Child Sexual Abuse to a Health Professional: A Metasynthesis

“…Boys feared how society would see them (potential future abuser, homosexual) and the resulting stigma of being labeled as homosexual ( 37 , 42 , 46 ).…”

“…Patriarchal societies for male survivors ( 40 , 46 ), the fear of being considered insane in their society ( 35 ), and societies where it was forbidden/taboo to talk about sex ( 46 )—all of these prevented disclosure by survivors.…”

“…They described how the experience of disclosure was influenced by contextual elements such as meeting other victims ( 42 , 45 , 46 ) or media use ( 42 , 46 ).…”

“…Adults principally reported either the experience of their first disclosure or experience of non-disclosure. The first disclosure was described as an important moment in their lives ( 39 , 46 ). They also described the different types of disclosure: intentional planned disclosure, disclosure elicited by the professional (investigative/survey interviews, play…) sometimes induced by a detail, accidental disclosure, “intentionally guarded” disclosure, disclosure triggered by a flashback at specific moments, and finally indirect disclosure, in the form of allusion, or changed behavior, such as by adolescent acting out ( 33 , 37 , 38 , 42 , 43 ).…”

“…Some adult survivors talking about the disclosure experience years later described this first telling about their abuse as a release; they spoke of “bringing it up,” “opening up,” and “getting it out” ( 28 ). The experience of disclosure could be described as extremely beneficial and exclusively positive ( 39 , 42 , 46 ). The disclosure first allowed them to be believed and heard, brought them knowledge that the abuse was not their fault ( 42 ), and resulted in feeling supported, listened to, emotionally respected, and treated compassionately in a non-therapeutic context ( 42 ).…”