How do men cope with getting raped and what is the social outcome of this?

Question

Like prison rape, being raped as a child, and other unwanted penitrations into their physical being ... what is the individual and social manifistations of such rape?

Answer 1

Here's some info I found, interesting read, though it seems to center around male-male adult rape.

"Fear, guilt, hyper-alertness, depression, anger, panic-attacks, flashbacks, mood swings and confusion about your sexuality are all common reactions to rape."

"Male survivors of rape will experience a similar range and intensity of trauma as women survivors. For example, both will likely suffer the Rape trauma Syndrome after they are assaulted."

"Male survivors tend to question their sexual orientation more often than women who have been raped. Sometimes men will experience an erection or ejaculate during their assaults as an involuntary response to physical sensation, intense fear or pain. This may lead the survivor to question whether or not he somehow wanted to be assaulted or that perhaps he may be gay. In a confusion between rape and sex, many men will become homophobic after their assault falsely equating same sex rape with homosexuality. Unlike women, men are never taught to live with the fear of their own vulnerability to sexual assault. When they are raped they may experience a heightened degree of pure shock and surprise, finding it more difficult to understand what they have gone through. Some men will feel that part of their masculinity has been stripped away and that they have been feminized, or are somehow less manly because they have been sexually violated. "

EDIT: here's a few more
http://www.nycagainstrape.org/survivors_factsheet_38.html

http://www.hopeforhealing.org/male.html

this one is about prison rape

http://pcar.org/resources/PrisonRapeGuide.pdf

And here's one about male victims of child sexual assualt (it's really limited on info, but so were most sources)

http://www.canadiancrc.com/articles/Globe_and_Mail_Ontario_urged_help_male_sexual_assault_victims_07MAR05.htm

Answer 2

I don't know, but I suspect it is similar to what women go through. Possibly more social anxiety though because of the even greater stigma attached to "male rape". It can manifest as the person who has been raped projecting themselves on others as they grow up... raping someone themselves. I would think they may have a difficult time being close to people in what should be natural healthy relationships.
All I can say is what a terrible thing, no matter if it's male or female. It is the ultimate violation because it is physical and mental.

Answer 3

I agree with the fact that the initial emotions and results directly associated with the rape are very similar between men and women but I feel that men have a more difficult time dealing with the victimization aspect. Men typically do not accept being physically victimized. Even the kid who was bullied in the school yard represses his victimization. Men who are raped may have a hard time mourning or even accepting their loss. they fear ever sharing this and so never even approach healing.

Answer 4

I think that our society makes it much harder for men to deal with rape than women. Obviously, it's a horrendous thing for anyone to go through, but often for men there are no socially acceptable ways for them to deal with it. Our society's ideals of what is "masculine" make it almost impossible for a man to accept and talk about what happened to him, because of the fear of being seen as weak, or "gay" (as if such an act of violence has ANYTHING to do with the victim's sexuality). This has huge implications for the overall "health" of our society, as it means that these acts go largely unreported, the assailants are never brought to justice, and many people are left with absolutely no coping mechanism. Studies have shown that women are much more likely to believe and be sympathetic toward ANY person who admits to being a victim of rape, whether male or female, and I think this is because our society makes it more acceptable for women to be open about it.

Answer 5

Rape is rape, no matter what sex you are and it has the same mental ramifications for men as it does for women. so in that example, men and women are the same. Rape hurts, it hurts hard and it hurts for a long time after the physical wounds heal. God Bless.

Answer 6

to happy bullet: i have to say i didn't realize men went through those feelings. That is a reason i think that feminism is a great thing to men as well because feminism takes away the ' you are tough as nails, without feelings and can protect everyone' male stigma. I am one of those females who would actually love a guy more for telling me something like that. The guy that i am currently dating could not get through to me till he told me something that hurt him in the past. It's just very endearing, not because the guy got hurt but because it tells me the guy is human and i just want to protect him. Yes, i know it's wierd. But most females feel like i do, as in, most females want to know that men are human and have feelings and trust me, it is more than ok to be in a situation where you cannot protect yourself. It doesn't say that you are weak. Weakness is when you try to be someone you are not so that people will like you

Answer 7

I think it's probably very similar to what women go through.

However, men who are raped face further adversity because it's a direct affront to what is defined as "masculinity," and they must feel even more shame and guilt for "allowing" it to happen to them.

It makes sense then that men who are raped are even less likely to report it than women (who already very dramatically under-report). This is a very important issue, for both men and women. The fact that the *victim* of a crime is shamed and made to feel culpable for what they experienced is a heinous miscarriage of our society and justice system.

Answer 8

For kids, I think it's exactly the same. I'm not sure if the number of girls who were raped as kids and who became pedophile themselves is the same, though. I have no link to that, all the more because female pedophilia is underreported (I think female pedophiles represent about 5% of all pedophiles, but the percentage is probably a bit higher).

As for men, probably the same as well, but I think men find it more difficult to report it, unfortunately.

Answer 9

I'm actually a male victim of this. I was drugged so I have no recollection of it and I don't regret my inability to stop it from happening. After I found out what happened I beat the man responsible up and put him in hospital for a while. I saw a psychiatrist briefly, but stopped because I felt I was being drawn into a victim culture where I supposed to feel sorry for myself and angry. I very rarely think about it now, and I don't care that much anymore, although if I met the man again I would put him in hospital a second time for sure.

Answer 10

To hell with this question it sucks, especially when i see some one say , how many victims become pedophiles them selves. What BS. ............ If any kid ever comes forward and says they have been victimized just listen that's all i ask.