Can Boys and Men Be Victims of Sexual Violence?

The Facts About Male Survivors

• 1 out of 10 rape victims are male.
• Men are more likely to be sexually assaulted than be falsely accused of rape.
• Over half of male victims of completed or attempted rape reported experiencing their first victimization before age 18.
• Women CAN and DO commit sexual violence against men.
• Sexual violence is widely under-reported across all genders, but especially among male survivors.

Why Male Survivors Stay Silent

Men who disclose to their peers are often dismissed because there is a prevailing belief that “men always want sex.” There is also a homophobic cultural idea that if a boy does not want to engage sexually in a given moment, he must be gay — which leads to men not being able to report or disclose when they have experienced sexual violence. Many teenage boys experience violence that is incorrectly brushed off as “hazing.” And it is important to understand that just because someone has an erection does not mean they are consenting to sex — it is a biological response that has nothing to do with consent.

Remember: compliance is not consent. If someone is pressured, threatened, or guilted into a sexual act — no matter their gender — that is not consent. Does the perpetrator being a woman change whether it’s assault? No. But it changes whether people recognize it as assault — and that’s exactly the problem.

How to Support Male Survivors

If a friend tells you they’ve been assaulted: believe them, take their words seriously, and let them share at their own pace. Avoid minimizing or questioning their feelings, especially because of gender. Do not pressure them to report — that choice belongs to the survivor. It is crucial that we open up space to allow young male survivors to feel safe in reporting, and to know that they will be protected, believed, and supported when they do. Boys and men have a critical role to play in ending sexual violence — it’s going to take ALL of us to change the culture.