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Disclosure of Abuse
Under-reporting of child sexual abuse or sexual assault
One of the difficulties in establishing a picture of the extent and circumstances of childhood sexual abuse and male sexual assault is under-reporting. Males are particularly reluctant to report childhood sexual abuse as both a child and adult.
Evidence suggests that:
- Boys are less likely than girls to disclose at the time the sexual abuse occurs.
- Between 70-90% of males who have been sexually abused report not telling anyone at the time.
- Males disclose being sexually abused in childhood on average 22 years after the assault – 10 years later than females.
- Men report first in depth discussion 28 years after the sexual abuse, and first helpful in-depth discussion 30 years after the abuse.
- Men are more likely than women to make selective disclosure, to a limited number of people.
- Men are one and a half times less likely than women to report rape to police.
Barriers to disclosure
- Stigma associated with being sexually abused.
- Power exercised by those perpetrating abuse through threats, coercion, apportion of blame.
- Silencing effects of fear, confusion and shame.
- Dominant masculine stereotypes.
- Ideas that men should be powerful, strong, able to protect themselves against overwhelming odds, be self reliant, not acknowledge weakness, or be unable to cope.
- Homophobia, questioning of sexuality
- Concern that he will be considered ‘homosexual’ or ‘gay’ and treated negatively.
- Uncritical acceptance of the idea that males who have been sexually victimised ‘automatically’ go on to perpetrate abuse.
- Research indicates that most males (95%) who have been sexually abused in childhood do not commit offences.
- Concern they will be treated differently as males and may receive a limited or inadequate response.
- Sexual abuse remains in some cultures a taboo or something shameful that should be hushed up.