Sexual Assault, Male Survivors of

Historically, male survivors of sexual assault have often been overlooked. There are a number of reasons for their underrepresentation in research. Prominent issues include the often narrow perception of males as perpetrators and females as [Page 1499]survivors and societal discomfort with considering men in situations of sexual victimization rather than sexual prowess. These factors have often left male survivors as reluctant to disclose their abuse due to society’s aversion to hearing about it. As awareness of large-scale victimization of males has grown, such as in the Roman Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal, acknowledgment of and attention to the experiences of male survivors of sexual assault have increased. This entry examines definitions, prevalence rates, factors related to disclosure, health and mental health outcomes, and resilience among ...