NCJ Number
128867
Date Published
1990
Length
33 pages
Annotation
This study identifies the needs of male sexual assault survivors and suggests crisis intervention techniques for use with them.
Abstract
The British leader of the Bedouin Rebellion in Arabia, T.E. Lawrence (known to the Bedu of Hejaz as the "Blue-Eyed Arab") suffered a sexual assault by the Turks. There is no indication of how he coped with this assault, but many men who have been raped, either as children or adults, carry their unresolved suffering to their graves. Gender socialization creates a multitude of inhibitors in men that obstruct the development of positive coping measures after sexual assault or molestation. Male socialization encourages men to draw upon personal resources in isolation from others to deal with inner pain. This conditions them to be reluctant to use support networks, to make limited use of disclosure opportunities, and to mask their emotions with cognitive concerns. Basic steps in crisis intervention for male survivors of sexual assault involve assessment, emotional support, information, male empowerment, and referrals. Techniques of crisis intervention include problem identification, paraphrasing, reflection of feelings, summarization, self-disclosure, and confrontation. 51 references