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Review
. 2023 Apr 3;13(4):304.
doi: 10.3390/bs13040304.

Male Victims of Sexual Assault: A Review of the Literature

John C Thomas  1 , Jonathan Kopel  2
Affiliations
Review

Male Victims of Sexual Assault: A Review of the Literature

John C Thomas et al. Behav Sci (Basel). .

Abstract

Compared to female rape victims, the literature addressing male rape victims remains a growing area of interest for counselors and scholars. This article aims to review the growing literature on male sexual assault victims. Specifically, the review will examine the literature on male victims of sexual assault in nine sections: (a) an overview of male sexual assault, (b) male rape myths, (c) prevalence, (d) responses to male victimization, (e) populations and perpetrators of male victimization, (f) risk factors, (g) reporting, (h) the impact of sexual assault on men, (i) help-seeking, and (j) implications for counseling. Empirical studies, case reports, and books are included in the review.

Keywords: counseling; male rape; rape myths; sexual assault; sexual trauma.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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