Male Survivors

Did You Know?

• Men can recover from sexual abuse
• There are more resources for male survivors now then ever before
• 11 percent of all rape and attempted sexual assaults occur to men (NOTE: this statistic is from The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape.)
• Women can perpetrate sexual abuse against boys and men, although the majority of perpetrators of sexual abuse are men
• Boys are less likely than girls to report experiences of sexual abuse, although the emotional effects are similar
• If a boy is sexually assaulted by a male perpetrator, it does not mean that he will become gay or become a sexual abuser
• If a boy has a positive response to or during an experience of abuse (for example, an erection) it does not mean that it was not abuse or that he caused it in any way. The body can respond physically to stimulation even during scary or traumatic situations.