- Thousands of adult men suffer from sexual
abuse, a survey has discovered.
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- Researchers from three London hospitals
interviewed 2,474 men and found that around three per cent had experienced
sexual abuse as adults.
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- Of the 71 men who reported non-consensual
sex experiences, one in five had been raped by a man.
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- The researchers found a higher rate of
abuse among younger men - indicating that the problem is on the increase.
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- Men who had suffered sexual abuse were
more likely to suffer from psychological problems than the general population,
including alcohol misuse and self-harm.
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- But the overwhelming majority decided
to suffer in silence, failing to seek professional help or report the matter
to the police.
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- Most extensive study yet
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- The researchers are the first to carry
out such an extensive study into sexual abuse among men.
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- They warn that medical professionals
need to be aware that these men are psychologically vulnerable.
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- Writing in the British Medical Journal,
they warn that their estimate of the prevalence of sexual abuse in men
is likely to be a conservative one as many victims do not wish to discuss
what has happened to them.
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- While interviewing the men, the researchers
also found that more than one in 20 (5.4%) had been subjected to non-consensual
sexual experiences as children, and that abuse as a child was often followed
by a similar experience in adulthood.
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- The researchers point out that previous
studies have concentrated on the possibility of sexually abused boys becoming
perpetrators in adulthood.
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- The possibility of early abuse leading
to further victimisation as adults is a concept that has been neglected,
they say.
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- Majority are heterosexual
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- Overall the study found that of the men
who said they had sex forced on them, 46% said it was by a woman.
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- Of those men who reported non-consensual
sexual experiences with other men, most defined themselves as primarily
heterosexual.
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- However, men who had consensual sex with
other men were six times more likely to have non-consensual sex as an adult.
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- The researchers point to research that
shows that, on average, gay and bisexual men have more sexual partners
than heterosexual men.
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- The speculate that increasing numbers
and anonymity of sexual partners may increase the risk of non-consensual
sex.
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- One of the authors, Professor Michael
King, of the Royal Free and University College Medical School, said only
1% of men who had suffered sexual abuse reported it to the police.
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- He said it was less clear how many sought
medical support as they might seek help for the subsequent psychological
difficulties, rather than the abuse itself.
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- He said: "The public need much more
information on the problem so that men are less reluctant to report to
professionals and to the police.
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- "For many men these problems stem
from childhood experiences but, if the cause remains unknown, the problems
are difficult to solve.
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- "Doctors and other professionals
need to be aware that this occurs and that men with psychological problems
may have this as part of their history - just as is recognised for women."
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- Official police figures show that 227
men were raped in 1995, an increase of 51% from 1994 figures.
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