NCJ Number
183351
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 8 Issue: 4 Dated: 1999 Pages: 73-90
Date Published
1999
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This study investigated undergraduate students' reactions to a hypothetical male survivor's disclosure of sexual abuse that occurred at age 5, 15, or 25, with a male or female offender.
Abstract
Anecdotal evidence indicates that male sexual abuse survivors fail to disclose their abuse because of their fear of others' reactions. The current study was designed to determine whether such a fear is justified. Participants in this study were 92 male and 92 female college undergraduates. Three visual analogue scales were used to assign levels of responsibility for the incident's occurrence to the following elements: the offender, the survivor's characteristics, and the survivor's behavior. Higher scores indicated higher assigned responsibility. Findings show that when age at the time of the abuse was higher, the survivor was viewed as less masculine and more responsible for his abuse. Also, the male sex role and rape myths were more strongly applied to him. Generally, women's reactions were more positive than men's. Less positive reactions were associated with disclosing the abuse to other men, abuse that occurred at an older age, and a female offender. 4 tables and 43 references