The Centers for Disease Control report that 1 in 9 American men experience sexual harassment in a public space. Sexual harassment and sexual assault can happen to anyone regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. However, research shows that men—whether civilian or military—are less likely to report sexual assault or harassment, to identify experiences they have had as abusive, and to seek formal treatment for such harms.
Men may not feel they can come forward if they have experienced sexual harassment or sexual assault, often because of attitudes and stereotypes surrounding masculinity. These societal perceptions and pressures can lead to complex trauma and may discourage them from seeking help or speaking out.
How sexual violence affects men’s health
Men can have various responses to sexual trauma. Research suggests that men may be more prone to expressing anger and hostility as well as withdrawing from social interactions when compared to women. In another study from the National Institutes of Health, men were shown to use a “controlled” coping style, characterized by passive reactions and acceptance or minimization of their sexual assault experience, possibly reflecting societal pressure for men to remain “emotionless” in difficult situations.
This coping strategy may hinder men from seeking help and delays the process of acknowledging sexual harassment and sexual assault potentially leading to long-term challenges.
The following list includes some emotional and behavioral responses shared by those who have been impacted by harassment and sexual assault. This is not a complete list, but it may help to understand that these are common responses for those who experience trauma:
- Difficulty managing emotional responses like anger, anxiety, and depression.
- Avoiding people or places that trigger memories of sexual assault or abuse.
- Fears that sexual assault determines sexual orientation.
- Feeling on edge, watchful, being unable to relax, and having difficulty sleeping.
- Sense of blame or shame over not being able to stop the sexual assault or harassment.
- Withdrawal from meaningful relationships such as friendships, intimate relationships and family.
- Increased engagement in dangerous behaviors such as fights, high risk sexual activity and reckless driving.
- Uncharacteristic changes in a person’s sexual activity when compared to their usual behavioral patterns, such as sudden increase or avoidance of sexual activity
- Substance use disorders.
Perceived barriers to reporting and accessing care
Research has shown men are more likely to encounter reporting barriers related to their sexuality. For instance, men who have not publicly acknowledged their sexuality may not report sexual assault or harassment for fear of having to come out. In addition, heterosexual men who were sexually assaulted by other men might not come forward for fear of having their sexual orientation questioned.
Men who have experienced sexual assault or harassment may also feel invalidated because of societal norms that lead others to minimize or dismiss their experiences.
As a result, many male Veterans still face barriers when accessing mental health care. Evidence suggests that barriers to reporting and help-seeking, for both Veterans and active duty service members, include the desire to maintain one’s privacy and a lack of confidence in the confidentiality of medical, mental health or other services. A fear of being perceived as weak or concerned about career repercussions were also cited as barriers.
“Male Veterans may struggle with feelings of self-blame and shame, wondering if they could have prevented the incident or if they are somehow less of a man because of it,” said Jamal Fletcher, VA’s Assault and Harassment Prevention Office. “To any man who may be struggling right now, you are not less of a man or less of a Veteran because of what happened to you. Sexual harassment and sexual assault were never your fault.”
Talking about what happened
VA has resources to support Veterans who have experienced sexual assault or harassment at any point in their lives, regardless of sexual identity or orientation. Explore the resources and learn which might work best for you.
If you are a Veteran who experienced or witnessed sexual assault or harassment at a VA facility, please tell someone you trust at a VA location. For example, tell the VA Police, a Patient Advocate, or your health care provider. If you have left the facility, call 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411) and select option 9. The call center is staffed to answer reports of this nature all day every day.
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Army Veteran Denis Velez donated a painting of his VA hospital as a way of giving back for his treatment there.
I finally glad there is a platform to express our grievances and sexual abuse in the open… the Army has been taking advantage and screwing me with no Vaseline since 1989.. they have done some sickening things to me and I want people to know.. the Army will abduct you.. forget all these talk sessions and pills , where are the dollar bills.. see they pretend to help and withhold what people in this economy truly need, veterans living on the streets can’t hear a word your saying and don’t have water to take those pills with, but that’s your benefit.. let’s stop pay the money to Veterans the same way you pay factions that hate what America stands for.. I’ll gladly stand by my word and wait to speak with President Trump when he takes office.
I have tried to deal with this issue since 1991 alone and I have never spoken of what three grown men did to me! I go through every single one of the issues that you listed and many more! I always end up being convinced that if I could have been a little bit stronger I could have fought my way out of that military ( very large) hospital bathroom or I wish I could have made enough noise for another Marine to come help me? I have never even written this down , and I have certainly never told anyone about what really happened in detail ( Every single time I start to open up about my most private and embarrassing things I’ve had done to me, it’s always “You should have done this! How did you not see that coming and run out of that head? I know how you feel, but don’t worry you’ll get through it, just stop worrying about it!!!! Etc!)! Also I start suddenly getting calls or people come to see me, and then they slowly find a way to ask me questions about something that I told my VA mental health professionals and I have learned that although I am in a secure room, alone and talking with my doctor on video conference, the other nurses and staff members are standing outside the room watching and listening to everything I say on a monitor with video and audio!!! Wtf ?. This town has only 18,000 people in it and if something bad happens to anyone they spread the gossip like a California wildfire! I’m tired of having the same miserable and lonely existence every day of my life! I want to be able to move to another place where people don’t know me or care about me and my Dog and I can just live in a place where I don’t have to worry about my neighbors watching me or someone who I don’t know coming to try and sell something to me!! I just want to be out in the woods with my dog and be able to enjoy going outside with no one else around and hunt and fish and maybe for once in my life feel safe and free! In the country that I love so much that I have offered and came close to giving my own life so that everyone has that right! I know that there’s nothing I can do about what happened and that anyone who reads this will probably laugh because they have injuries that are visible and caused by our enemies on the battlefield!! Not a mental illness that no one can see and no one can understand why I can’t just let it go and move on with my life? I have told myself that same thing for over thirty years now and I have never had any success with it? I just thought if I could let another member of the United States Military and you feel like you’re in the safest place on earth and with your brothers and sisters in a military hospital just go to the head and then three of your fellow brothers in arms that are supposed to have your back, grab you from behind, one holding each arm and then push you into a toilet stall facing the wall and calling you things that are not true and I can’t say them here anyway! Then telling you that this is what happens to faggets and quitter’s around here and I never quit and I am not homosexual but I had to wear an arm band to make sure that every single man and woman on Camp Pendleton and The Hospital at El Tora where this one assault happened to me. I knew that I was going to fight for my country in a war and I didn’t expect to live through it, but I was fine with that because I love my country! I never once had any suspicion that the most dangerous place for me to be was on my own military base and by three men (a couple of years older than me) who were actually members of the very same branch of the military that I was in? That’s all! That’s too much! Just know that you’re never safe from unwanted danger and always keep yourself close to the group and if you’re wearing a MRP (MEDICAL REHABILITATION PLATOON) you will be wise to take your toothbrush and make a sharp tip on it and pray to God that you never have a reason to use it!!!
Thanks so much for this information.