MUSE (Men’s Unwanted Sexual Experiences) project continues to uncover sexual abuse of men and barriers to seeking support

Exploring this overlooked area of sexual abuse, the MUSE (Men’s Unwanted Sexual Experiences) project uncovered not just the extent of the problem but the reluctance of many victims to report incidents through formal routes – such as the police or a GP – as well as the challenges of seeking informal support from family and friends. Research revealed that a key barrier was the perception held by many that unwanted sexual experiences happen to and impact women, and not men.

Dr Carl Bonner-Thompson, senior lecturer at the University of Brighton’s School of Applied Sciences, is one of the researchers behind the project in collaboration with the Male Survivors Partnership and Mankind UK.  Alongside University of Brighton colleagues Dr Kirsty McGregor (below) and Dr Jason Preston, Dr Bonner-Thompson interviewed a number of men in both the south-east and north-east of England as part of the project.

Men experience a range of unwanted sexual experiences including child sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape. Over two thirds (65%) of the men who participated in the study had more than one unwanted sexual experience, with sexual assault and sexual harassment most reported. The majority (68.5%) of perpetrators had a pre-existing relationship with the participant.

The team found that men would seek formal support for the impacts of unwanted sexual experiences (eg. depression, anxiety or drug and alcohol misuse) without formally disclosing incidents. Issues around the fear of not being believed or workplaces not taking reports seriously also impacted on willingness to divulge experiences.

The Team

Dr Kirsty McGregor

Dr Carl Bonner-Thompson

Dr Jason Preston

Dr Bonner-Thompson said: “Through this project we have shed light on the reality of men’s unwanted sexual experiences, and particularly what’s stopping them from coming forward for timely and appropriate help and support. There are multiple barriers, and these can be affected by how old they were then the incident occurred, their relationship with the perpetrator, their perception of what constitutes an unwanted sexual experience and how other people responded to any disclosure. However, we also found that barriers were shaped by society’s understanding of masculinities, gender and sexual violence as well as institutional practices, policies and procedures.”

“Participants identified ideal types of support and ways to access and engage with it. There is a clear need to raise awareness about this issue and improve responses to men when they disclose their experiences. With services for men who are survivors over-subscribed, funding to expand and improve provision is of paramount importance. Crucially, our research demonstrated that different types of men – according to sexuality, class, race, ethnicity and age – experience violence and barriers in different ways, so any interventions, awareness raising, services and policy require approaches that consider the diversity of men and men’s experiences.”